The Soul Mate
by marksmom
Summary: AR - The Dursleys have left Harry waiting at Kings Cross.  Where will Harry go?  And what happens once he gets there?  Rated M for language, future slash, future mpreg and child abuse.
1. Chapter 1

The muscular redhead slowly made his way to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 at King's Cross Station. He was walking against the tide of students and parents coming from Platform 9 3/4, the platform for the Hogwarts' Express. It was difficult going because of the trolleys constantly aiming straight at his legs. He decided to move off to the side and wait for the stream of people to slow.

He took up a position next to a small black haired boy. Looking the boy over, he took in the messy hair, too-large clothing and round framed glasses. The boy was sitting on his trunk next to a cage containing a large snowy white owl. He had a worried frown on his face as he scanned the people moving around him in the station. Every once in a while he would look over at the entrance to the Hogwarts platform, as if waiting for someone.

Charlie Weasley was waiting for someone himself, or rather, several people. He was waiting for his mother, sister and four brothers. The four brothers were all students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He, his older brother Bill and their little sister Ginny were the only ones who weren't at Hogwarts. he saw a head of wavy red hair come through the barrier, his younger brother Percy. He was followed by identical twins Fred and George.

"Charlie!" One of the twins, Charlie saw that it was Fred, smiled and headed over to greet him. George and Percy followed. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the black haired boy watching them curiously, before a sad expression came over his face and he looked away, once again scanning the thinning crowd in front of him. As he neared Charlie, Fred's eyes were drawn to the smaller boy next to his brother.

"Harry! Why're you still here?"

The boy hunched his shoulders and shook his head, not answering. Fred and George looked at each other in silent conversation and bypassed Charlie to kneel next to the boy.

"Harry, why are you still here? Where's your family?"

The boy just shook his head again. He looked back at the barrier just as Charlie's youngest brother, Ron, walked through. The boy's green eyes filled with relief. Ron saw Charlie and the boy at the same time. Ron's face lit up, happy to see Charlie, but then clouded with concern as he saw the boy. He walked over to give Charlie a hug and then sat next to the boy on the trunk.

"Harry? Where're your aunt and uncle."

"They didn't come for me." The quiet voice shook.

Now Charlie knew why the boy had looked frightened. Charlie crouched down next to Ron and looked at the boy named Harry. "They knew you were coming home today, right?"

The boy nodded, looking at him. Charlie felt a strange surge of magic pass through him as he looked into the boy's emerald green eyes. Those eyes widened, making Charlie realize that the boy had felt it, too. Just then, Charlie's mother, Molly Weasley, came through the barrier with his sister. She stopped when she saw her second oldest son.

"Charlie! Oh, it's good to see you!" She wrapped her arms around him in what looked like a bone-crushing hug. He winced. "What happened? Why are you home? Are you hurt?" She held him at arm's length and slowly ran her gaze over him. Not seeing anything obvious, like bandages, she asked again, "Are you hurt?"

"Mum, I'm on a vacation. I can't come home to see my family after almost 2 years away?"

"Of course you can, but..." She broke off when she saw the rest of her sons gathered around the dark haired boy. "Hello there. Is everything alright?"

Ron spoke. "Mum, this is my best mate, Harry. You know, the one you made the jumper for. His aunt and uncle haven't come for him yet. How long have you been waiting Harry?"

Harry mumbled "Don't know."

Charlie spoke up. "I've been here for about 20 minutes, and he was here before me."

"Oh, dear! Well then, we'll just wait some more with you. Maybe they've just got hung up in a jam." She began to fuss over Charlie, trying to get him to admit that he was hurt.

Ron looked at Harry. "What are you going to do, if they don't come soon?"

Charlie heard the boy's answer and it chilled him to the bone. "They're not coming, Ron. They hate me. They've finally found a way to get rid of me." He pulled his feet up on the trunk, wrapped his thin arms around his legs and rested his head on his knees. "I should have known when they weren't here right away. Now what am I going to do? I don't have anywhere to go." 

Charlie looked at his mother. She had heard the boy's words and had tears in her eyes. "Charlie, apparate to Hogwarts. Bring Albus back with you. He needs to know about this."

Charlie nodded and looked at Harry. "I'm going to get Professor Dumbledore. He'll know what to do. You just stay here with Ron and everyone, alright?"

Harry nodded and looked at him gratefully. "Thank you." He put his head back down on his knees, looking like he might cry. Ron put an arm around him and Charlie watched as the thin frame stiffened. Something wasn't right with this boy. He knelt down again.

"What's your last name, Harry? Just so that I know what to tell Professor Dumbledore."

"Potter."

Charlie had a hard time keeping his jaw from dropping open. This was The Boy Who Lived! He just nodded and stood. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He backed into the alcove. Harry heard a popping sound and turned to look back at Charlie. The man was gone.

He gasped and looked at Ron. "Where did he go?"


	2. Chapter 2

~OOooOO~

Charlie apparated to the front gates of Hogwarts. He pushed one open and ran up the slope to the school Albus Dumbledore met him just inside the front doors.

"Well met, Mr. Weasley. What can I do for you?"

"Sir, Harry Potter's family never came to pick him up from the train. Mum and my brothers are with him at the station."

Charlie watched as Dumbledore went pale. He clapped once and a house elf appeared in front of him. "Get Severus Snape and bring him here at once." The elf disappeared. Less than one minute later, the elf reappeared, holding on to the arm of the potions professor.

"You wished to see me, sir?"

"Yes. We need to go to Privet Drive in Surrey at once. Harry Potter's relatives didn't pick him up at King's Cross. Charles, please go back to the station and wait with your mother, brothers and Mr. Potter. We will meet you there."

Charlie nodded and left the school with Albus and Severus following him to the front gates. Charlie disapparated back to King's Cross Station and the other two men disapparated to Number 4 Privet Drive.

Once they reached the front walk, Albus knew that the Dursleys had not lived there in months. The blood wards were all but gone, only the last vestiges remained, concentrated in the front hall. Albus opened the door and stepped into the empty house. There were several boxes and one trunk to the left of him. He felt the blood bond on these items.

Severus walked over to the cupboard under the stairs and pulled the door open. He was disgusted by what he saw. A tiny cot, covered with a thin, ragged blanket, and a ratty looking teddy bear.

"Gods! No wonder he's so small." Severus picked up the bear and walked over to the boxes. He picked up the note on top of them.

_Freak - these belonged to your freak of a mother. Get them out of here. We can't sell the house until they are gone. Good luck with your new life alone._

Severus saw red. These _**muggles**_ were calling his Lily a freak. He had never liked Petunia Evans. She had always been nasty to him, especially after he had explained magic to Lily. She had been jealous because she was a squib. The Evans line was as pure-blooded as they came, but generations of breeding too close to the bloodlines had created a line of squibs. Lily had been the first witch in the Evans family in about 150 years.

"What can we do, Albus? He has to be protected. I may not like him, because of his father, but he _**must**_ be protected. I gave Lily my word."

"Let's shrink these things down and take them with us. We need to get to King's Cross station at once. Harry has been without protection for too long."

They shrank the boxes and trunk and placed them into their pockets. Severus held onto the teddy bear. That he would give directly to Harry. As he looked at the bedraggled bear, he could feel his hatred drain away. The boy had no control over who his father was. And no child deserved this.

They apparated from the front hallway directly to Platform 9 3/4. The entire Weasley clan was there now, including Arthur. Severus walked up to Harry and knelt in front of him.

"I'm sorry Harry. They are gone. We don't know where they went." He pulled the bear out of his robes and handed it to the boy. "I did find this, though."

Harry's eyes went wide and filled with tears. He clutched the plushie to his chest and looked at the stern man. "Thank you, sir." He dropped his head back down on his knees and began to cry.

The sound of his sobs tore right through Charlie's chest, almost bringing him to his knees. Who could do this to a child? He was dependent on them for his care and they had abandoned him. His fists clenched and his face flushed in anger. He never saw Albus' eyes on him, watching his reaction.

_Curious_, thought Albus. _I wonder why he's this angry for a boy he's just met?_

Albus motioned Severus to join the adults. He included Charlie as an adult, since he was 19 years old. "We need to figure out something. He has nowhere to go. He can't stay at the school."

Molly looked at Arthur and they both nodded. "Let's get him back to the Burrow. He is welcome to stay with us. With Charlie and Bill out, we have an extra room. He can stay with us."

"That is a wonderful suggestion. The only problem is what to do about the wards that were in place over the Dursley's house. They were blood wards, the strongest that I could find. He wouldn't have that protection at the Burrow."

The adults looked at Harry and then back at each other. Severus became thoughtful. Several ideas occurred to him, but only one would work well.

"What about a blood adoption? Not taking away bloodlines, but adding to them. Blood from either Arthur or Molly can be added to the blood from Lily and James Potter. It would give the protection needed for a blood ward."

Albus' eyes twinkled at his potions master. "Yes! That would work. It wouldn't take away the blood inheritance from either the Potter or the Evans lines and would add that of either the Weasley or Prewett line. Would you be willing to do that? To adopt Harry into your family?"

Molly looked at her husband. She could see the answer in his eyes and knew it was reflected in hers. "Yes. We would be willing. But is he willing? If he says no, what will we do then?"

"Let's get everyone to the Burrow and we can discuss logistics then."

Everyone moved to the group of children gathered about Harry. Charlie took in the dejected look on Harry's face and determined, right then, that he would never have another reason to wear that look. He would do whatever it took to keep it from Harry's face.

"Alright everyone," Molly took charge. "We're all going to the Burrow, including you Harry. There are some things that we need to talk about once we get there, but we need to get there first. Albus, will you, Severus and Charlie apparate with Harry? Not everyone will fit in the car. It will take us longer to get there, so we will meet you back at the Burrow. There is food waiting. It has warming charms on it, so it will still be hot. Come along everyone." The rest of the Weasleys moved off, leaving Harry with Albus, Severus and Charlie. Albus quietly cast a spell so that the muggles in the station wouldn't notice them.

"I'll take his trunk and the cage. Harry, tell your owl to meet us at the Burrow. Once we're there, she will be able to find you." Charlie moved the cage off of the trunk and shrunk the trunk down to fit in his pocket.

Harry's eyes grew wide as he watched. He opened the cage and Hedwig came out, onto his arm. "Girl, we're going to the Burrow. Come find me there, alright?" The owl hooted and took off out of the station, startling the muggles trying to get to their trains. Harry handed the cage to Charlie.

With a pop, Charlie was gone, leaving Harry with just Albus and Severus. They each placed a hand on his shoulder. "Put an arm around each of our waists." Harry did and felt a strange whoosh of air and heard the same pop that he had when Charlie had vanished. The sensation was like being pulled through a straw, but then, it was over.

He opened his eyes and was standing in front of the strangest house he had ever seen. Instead of sprawling out along the ground, the house rose into the sky. It looked like it was held together with magic and luck. It was about 4 stories high, with the different levels scattered all over the roof of the main floor.

Albus started walking up to the house, Harry and Severus following. The potions professor had yet to remove his hand from Harry's shoulder and he was glad for the contact. Right now, things were very difficult for him to comprehend and the hand on his shoulder helped steady him. They walked into the house and Harry immediately felt comfortable. This felt like a home, not just a house. This was a feeling that he'd never had at Privet Drive.

Charlie was in the kitchen making up plates of food for everyone. They sat and ate in silence for a while before Harry got up the courage to ask a few questions.

"I heard you talking about a blood adoption. What is that?"

Albus answered him. "We would take a potion, a few drops of your blood and mix them with a few drops of blood from either Molly or Arthur. A spell will be cast over the mixture, so that you will become a member of this family. The mixture would then be placed into your body. You would take on a few of the family traits, hair or eye colour, possibly even physical changes, such as the way your body will grow or your height."

"I like my hair and eyes, why would they have to change?"

"They may not, as we would adding a bloodline, not removing one. We won't actually know until the adoption happens."

"Alright. Which one will give their blood?"

The two older men looked at Charlie. Severus spoke first. "I realize that they are your parents, but we need to know which of them you believe to be the stronger of the two."

Charlie thought for a moment. "Mum. Dad is strong, but Mum is stronger. In both magic and personality."

"That is my opinion, as well, Albus. Molly would give more strength to Harry, Arthur would give more compassion and feeling."

"Well, then, Molly it is."

"Sir, may I speak with you a moment? Privately?" Charlie looked at Albus.

Severus motioned to Harry, and the two left the room.

"What is it, Charles?"

"Sir, I'm not sure that I will be able to look at Harry as my brother."

"Why not?" Albus had a feeling that this went back to the anger he had seen earlier.

"I don't know. Before I came to get you, I looked into Harry's eyes and I felt a rush of magic. I've never felt anything like that before. It was like he was looking into my soul. He felt it, too. He didn't say anything, but his eyes got wide as he stared at me. I don't know what it was, but _**whatever**_ it was is keeping me from thinking of Harry as a brother. I know I should, but I can't."

"Hmm. I didn't count on this."

"What was it?"

"That burst of magic happens when two halves of one soul meet. You and Harry are, quite likely, soul mates. That would explain why you can't think of him as a brother."

"Soul mates? But I thought that only happened between a witch and a wizard."

"No. It is rare for two wizards, but it can happen. I had the same happen to me. Unfortunately, he died before we could act on it." The twinkle left Albus' eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"No, Charles, it's not your fault. Grindelwald took that away from me. I never loved again." He sighed. "This is something that will need to be discussed with your parents and Harry."

Charlie nodded. "Later, but before the adoption. I want Harry to know why I can't see him as a brother. I don't want him to think I'm rejecting him."

Unbeknownst to the men in the kitchen, Harry and Severus were having a similar conversation in the Burrow's living room.

"Professor?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"If we do this blood adoption, does that mean I _**have**_ to see all of the Weasley children as siblings?"

"No...is there one that you don't feel brotherly toward?" Severus was thinking of the youngest Weasley, the only girl.

"Yes. When Charlie was talking to me, before going to Hogwarts to get you and Professor Dumbledore, I looked into his eyes. It was like being hit by a wall. I felt like he could see everything that was inside me, like he was looking inside my heart."

Severus knew that Harry had no idea what he was describing. He knew that Harry couldn't know that he had just accurately described the first meeting between two halves of one soul. "We need to tell Professor Dumbledore about this. Come with me."

Severus led Harry into the kitchen, where they heard the last part of Charlie's conversation with Albus. "I want Harry to know why I can't see him as a brother. I don't want him to think I'm rejecting him."

Severus felt Harry stiffen and try to back away. "No, Harry. I have a feeling he's just told Albus the same thing that you told me. Ask him." Charlie heard them and looked up at Harry.

Harry looked back and had that same feeling again. He felt that Charlie was trying to see inside of his heart. "What do you see when you look at me?"

"I see a beautiful heart and mind. I feel like you're trying to get into my soul. I don't know how to explain it. I can't feel like a brother toward you, Harry. I'm not rejecting you, though. I just see you as something more, and it scares me. I'm pretty sure it scares you too, doesn't it?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, it does. I don't understand it. But, is it alright if I don't consider you my brother? Maybe, when I'm older, I'll understand it more."

"That's fine Harry. I would prefer it that way. We'll be friends, though, yeah?"

Harry nodded and smiled. All three men had the same thought. Harry Potter was absolutely beautiful when he smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

~OOooOO~

The blood adoption took place the next morning. The rest of the Weasleys had had the situation explained to them and had accepted it well. Molly had been the hardest to convince about Charlie and Harry being soul mates, but, once she was told about what they had felt, she reluctantly accepted it.

Severus and Albus performed the ceremony, explaining each step to Harry as it happened. He watched as several drops of his blood and several drops of Molly's blood were mixed with a small amount of a potion. Albus whispered the words of a spell and the whole mixture turned a silvery color.

Severus had Charlie sit on a chair and hold Harry securely in his lap. "Why does he have to hold me?"

"I won't lie to you Mr. Potter. This will be painful."

Harry drew a deep breath and nodded. He held out his arm and Severus gently slid an impossibly thin silver knife into the skin. He poured the mixture into a groove on the knife and it was absorbed into Harry's arm. The wound healed as the knife was withdrawn.

"That didn't..." His whole body stiffened. Charlie slid off of the chair onto the floor, still holding him close to his chest. Harry began to shake and thrash his head. One unearthly scream passed his lips, and he lay still in Charlie's arms. The others were drawn into the kitchen by Harry's scream.

They watched as his body began to change. His hair took on a slight reddish cast, his face became a little more narrow, his nose lengthened slightly. Charlie saw the legs of his oversized trousers becoming a little too short, meaning that he was going to be a little bit taller.

Ron slowly walked over and picked up Harry's limp hand and sat next to him, trying to give him comfort. Molly clung to Arthur, tears streaking her cheeks. Harry's eyelashes fluttered, but became still again. Charlie stood with Harry in his arms, frowning at his slight weight. Hopefully that would change now that he was with them.

He laid Harry on the sofa and sat on the floor next to him. He wasn't going to leave him. He knew that he should, to allow Professors Snape and Dumbledore to be near him, but he couldn't make himself get up and move. Severus seemed to understand and he stood behind the sofa while Albus pulled up a chair next to Charlie.

Albus turned to Arthur. "You might want to see if Bill can come home for a little while. He will be able to add to the blood wards. He is still in Egypt, correct?" Arthur nodded. He left the room to fire-call his eldest son. Hopefully he was near a floo.

Ten minutes later, he returned to the room, followed by a tall redhead. His eyes immediately fell on the boy on the sofa. "Someone want to tell me why a smaller version of me is lying on the sofa?"

~OOooOO~

After all the explanations had been given, Bill and Albus went about setting up the wards around the perimeter of the property. The house, of course, was given even more wards. Some of them were obscure Egyptian wards that no one, not even You-Know-Who, would be able to remove without Bill Weasley's assistance.

They returned to the house and accepted cups of tea from Molly. Bill looked through the open doorway to see Charlie, still sitting by Harry's side. The boy hadn't stirred and Charlie was just waiting patiently.

"Mum?"

"Yes, Dear?"

"What's going on with Charlie? Why's he just sitting there? I realize that it's Harry Potter, but, I wouldn't have thought that Charlie would sit there, all starry eyed, and wait for him to wake up."

"That's not it, Bill." Bill looked at his father.

"What is it, then?"

Arthur looked at Albus as if to say 'what do I tell him'? Albus took up the explanations.

"Harry is your brother's soul mate. They discovered this while waiting for Harry's relatives to pick him up, which they never did."

"How?"

Albus explained the feelings the two had experienced and the rush of magic they had felt. "So, right now, Charles is exactly where he needs to be. He needs to reassure himself that his soul mate is safe."

Bill looked back out at his brother, meeting Charlie's blue eyes with his own. Charlie mouthed the word 'later' and Bill nodded back. Charlie turned his head quickly, as Harry began to stir.

Long black eyelashes fluttered slightly as Harry fought off the darkness surrounding him. He opened his eyes and Charlie was relieved to see that they were still the same intense green that they had been before the adoption.

"Charlie? What happened?" Harry moaned as he tried to sit up. Charlie put an arm around his waist to help him straighten up. Harry gasped in pain. His legs hurt horribly, as if they had been broken and reset incorrectly. He reached up and rubbed a hand along is jaw; it felt like he had been punched hard. He leaned into Charlie's side. "How long is this going to hurt?"

Severus walked up to the sofa and began running a few scans over Harry's body. "It could take a while, Mr. Potter, or rather, Mr. Weasley-Potter. I am assuming you will want to keep your own last name."

"Yes. It's all I have of my parents." Charlie felt the sadness from Harry pouring over his mind. _I'm going to take that sadness away_, he thought.

"You don't want to forget them, Harry. This hasn't taken them away from you, it's only added a bit of the Prewett family to the whole mix." Harry looked at him gratefully. He was glad Charlie understood.


	4. Chapter 4

~OOooOO~

The next two weeks were the happiest that Harry could remember having. He was slowly growing accustomed to the noise and racket that was the Weasley household. Ron and the twins had made it easier on him by teaching him things about the family that he normally wouldn't have any reason to know.

They had taught him that Molly knew when something she didn't like was going on. He never found out _**how**_ she knew, but she just knew. They showed him the best way to get around Arthur, and found that he couldn't stay mad at Harry, or any of the other children, for long. Harry found out that Bill guarded his hair very carefully. He was always afraid that his mum was going to cut it off in his sleep.

He found out that Charlie had, indeed, been injured when he came home for his visit. He found that out the night after the adoption. He had been sharing a room with Ron, but couldn't sleep that night, he was still in a little bit of pain, and had decided to go down and get a glass of water.

He crept down the stairs quietly; he didn't want to wake anyone. He saw a slight glow from a candle in the kitchen and peeked his head around the door. Charlie was sitting at the table, salves and bandages laid out in front of him. Harry watched as he unwound the bandage from his lower chest, hissing slightly in pain as the air hit his skin.

"Charlie," he whispered. "What's wrong?"

Charlie jumped and turned quickly. Harry could see the edges of a large red burn on his right side, curving its way to his back. Harry winced in sympathy. Now he knew why Charlie had resisted his mum's hug back in the train station.

"Can I help?" Charlie nodded and motioned him over.

"Take the salve and gently smooth it into the burn. Mum will have a fit if she sees this." He sat still as Harry rubbed the greasy salve into the wound. Then he had Harry help wind the new bandage around his body, so that the burn was covered. "Thanks. I appreciate the help."

"Is this why you made a face when your mum hugged you yesterday?"

"Yeah. And you might want to start calling her Mum yourself. She'll get right mad if you don't."

"I want to ask her first. I don't want to be rude and assume it's alright." Harry sighed. "Everyone's been so great to me. I can't believe that this happened." He looked into Charlie's eyes and the depth of the sadness in Harry's eyes startled him. No one that young should know that much sadness. "Why would the Dursleys just leave me there?"

"I don't know, Harry. The world is full of not so nice people, and it sounds like the Dursleys are among that number. We're going to do everything we can to make it better for you now. You won't ever have to go back there again."

"I'm glad. Did you talk to Bill about this soul mate thing?"

"Yes. He was surprised, but he was alright with it."

"He said that he wants to talk to me about it, too. Is this going to be anything like 'The Talk' that Fred and George warned me that your dad will want to have with me and Ron?"

Charlie flushed. "Um...no, probably not. You'll have to tell me later what Dad tells you. He's a little behind the times and it might get...uncomfortable. He doesn't know much about soul mates, if my guess is correct. Bill will know more. I don't know where he gets his information, but he's a little like a walking encyclopedia."

"So, what happens when you go back to Romania?" Harry wanted to know more about the whole thing, as it kind of frightened him a bit.

"I don't think anything changes. We'll have to keep in touch with letters, and I'll see about coming home for the holidays. Well, for Christmas Day, at least. You'll be at Hogwarts, the library should have plenty of books about it."

Harry nodded. "I'll have to get Hermione to help me. I think she knows that library better than Madame Pince does."

Charlie chuckled. "From the letters Ron and the twins have sent me, I think you may be right."

He turned to Harry and surprised a huge yawn. "I think I need to go back to bed now. Are you going to be alright?"

"I'll be fine, Harry. Go on up. I'm just going to sit for a while to let the salve soak in."

Harry nodded and stumbled his way back up the stairs.

~OOooOO~

The day Harry had been dreading finally came. Charlie was leaving after lunch, to go back to the dragon reserve in Romania. He didn't want Charlie to leave, but he knew he had to go. It wouldn't be fair to ask him to stay.

Charlie, for all of his show of acceptance, didn't want to leave either, but he had to get back. His boss had only given him the two weeks so that he could heal. If he hadn't sent Charlie home, he would have been back out with the dragons the next day. He pulled Fred and George aside to speak with them.

"You guys need to watch Harry, alright. I don't know what this whole soul mates thing is going to do. If you notice anything off about him, get him to Professor Dumbledore or Professor Snape. They'll know if it's that or if it's something else."

The twins nodded. They were taking care of Harry as if he had always been a part of their family. It helped Charlie a little to know that they would watch out for their littlest brother.

"We'll send a letter..."

"Or get in contact with you..."

"If anything looks off..."

"With Harry."

"Thanks. I know I can trust you. Not that I don't trust Ron or Percy, but they can be a little blind when it comes to something being wrong with someone else. You might also want to ask this Hermione to help you. She sounds like a right smart witch, from what Harry has said." Fred and George nodded again and gave him a quick hug each, before heading back into the house.

He turned to Harry. "Come here." He put his arms around Harry and hugged him tightly before letting him go. "You need to tell Fred and George if you feel something isn't right with you, okay? They'll take care of you, but you need to let them know if you feel anything's wrong."

"Alright. You'll write to me, won't you?" Harry looked a little afraid.

"I'll write, as long as you write back. It can get lonely there, and I'll be looking forward to your letters."

Harry gave Charlie a weak smile. "Oh, I will."

"Good. Now, chin up! I've got to go. I've already said my good-byes to Mum and Dad. I'm going to try to get home for Christmas Day, but I'm not sure if it will be allowed. They try to give that day to the handlers that have kids."

Harry pouted a bit, but sighed. "I understand."

"Now, go on in the house." He watched as Harry walked back to the house, shoulders slumped. It almost broke his resolve to leave. He had the feeling that this soul mate thing was going to be harder than he thought.

He concentrated on Heathrow Airport, where he would pick up the international portkey back to Romania, and disapparated.


	5. Chapter 5

~OOooOO~

Charlie's portkey dropped him just inside the gates to the reserve. He hated traveling by portkey, but he didn't want to try long distance apparation yet. He brushed himself off and went to let his boss know he was back and would start work again the next day.

"Rowan?" He opened the door to the shack that served as the man's office. "I'm back."

The dark haired man at the desk looked up from a piece of parchment he was reading. "Charlie. Welcome back! I received a letter from an Albus Dumbledore yesterday. He told me about this soul mate business. How old is the boy?" Rowan had a slight accent, but no one had been able to place it yet. His English was good, but he could also swear in about 6 different languages.

Charlie flushed. "He's eleven. He'll be twelve in about a month."

"He is young, but he will get used to it as he grows. There might be a problem with the distance."

Charlie's brow furrowed. "What kind of problem?"

"You know Mierelle, my wife? She is also my soul mate. You may not be able to be far from this boy while he is so young. It could cause you both a lot of pain. This is how it was before my wife and I were bonded."

"What can I do? I'm needed here."

"I have spoken to our sister reserve in Scotland. They are willing to trade one of their handlers for you. Are you willing to go to Scotland, instead of staying here?"

"As long as I'm working with dragons, it really doesn't matter to me where it is."

"Good! We will have this other handler come here, and you will go there. I think that Scotland is not far from your home, yes?"

"Right. It's not too far away. I can apparate there from home. It's also close to the school Harry attends."

"It will take about two weeks for the transfer to happen. The handler they are trading to us is currently away, trying to get at least one new dragon from the United States, hopefully one with a nest."

Charlie nodded. "So, I just stay here for now?"

"Konechno...I mean of course."

"Russian! I've been trying to figure that out for over a year!"

The dark haired man laughed. "Yes, and you are the only one to finally do it. I've been enjoying the game you all have with my accent. Did you win money?"

"No...I don't think anyone's actually bet on it."

"Keep it to yourself...da? I want to see how long it takes someone else to figure it out and come to me with the answer."

Charlie chuckled. "Alright. I'm going to get settled back in. I'll be with the dragons tomorrow."

~OOooOO~

Harry felt odd, like a piece of him was missing. He realized that it was because Charlie was gone, but he hadn't thought it would actually make him feel incomplete. He wandered around the garden for a bit, trying to keep from crying like a baby. He didn't want anyone to think he couldn't handle the separation.

Bill stood a little off to the side of the house, watching his new littlest brother. Harry was tiny in every aspect. He was a full head shorter than Ron, even with the height he had gained from the adoption, and looked painfully thin. He had noticed that, since Charlie left, he hadn't laughed, smiled or eaten much. Granted, it had only been two days, but he was starting to get worried.

They had all loved the sound of Harry's laughter. From what Ron had said, it was a rare occurrence for Harry to laugh, but he had laughed and smiled almost constantly when Charlie had been there. Bill was wondering if the distance was going to be too much for Harry to handle. He started walking toward his new brother.

"Harry?"

Harry's head shot up and Bill was surprised to see two tears roll down Harry's cheeks. He quickly wiped them away and looked away from Bill.

Bill knelt down and hugged Harry. "It's okay to miss him, you know."

Harry took a shuddering breath. "Yeah, but it feels wrong. Like there's a big piece of me gone somewhere. I don't like feeling like this."

"I can't say that I understand, but you know that we're all here to help, right?"

Harry nodded. "It's just...after everything that went on with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, it sort of feels like he's left me alone, too."

"You know that he wouldn't have left if he didn't have to, don't you? He didn't want to leave, but he had to go back."

"I know. It'll get better, I'm just feeling...I don't know...odd."

"Harry, it's going to take a while to come to terms with everything that's happened to you in the last few weeks. Give it some time."

Harry gave Bill a weak smile, one that didn't reach his eyes, Bill noticed. He nodded and trudged back to the house. Bill stood and went to find Fred and George. They were in the shed, plotting who knows what.

"Hey. I need a favor."

"What's up?" George looked at him and grinned.

"I need you to watch Harry closely. He's taking this separation from Charlie a little harder than I would like." The twins nodded in agreement. "I'm going back to Egypt tomorrow. I have to get back to Gringotts. I also have a few more books there that might shed some light on what Harry might be going through. I have the feeling that Charlie's going to need to come back here sooner than we all thought."

"Harry's not..." 

"...very happy."

"No, but right now, there's nothing that can be done. Just, please, watch him. I don't like leaving, but I have to. If you notice anything more, get a hold of Charlie right away. Don't owl him, use the floo."

Fred and George agreed readily. They didn't want anything to happen to Harry. They had begun thinking of him as a brother during the school year. They had been fiercely protective of him during the quidditch season, as it seemed that everyone on the Slytherin team had been out to get him, to keep him from playing. They stopped what they were doing and went to find Ron.


	6. Chapter 6

~OOooOO~

Bill left the next day, getting another promise out of Harry to tell Fred and George if something was wrong. He talked to them frequently. They had, it seemed, been reading up on soul mates and what could happen if there was a lot of distance between the mates.

What they didn't tell Harry, but told Molly and Arthur was that, if the bond remained stretched for too long, it could become painful. They were trying to think of ways to get Charlie to come home, but, so far, hadn't come up with anything.

Harry was used to pain. The Dursleys had been anything but nice to him. He had regularly gotten beatings from Uncle Vernon for any little wrongdoing, real or imaginary. Vernon had known how to extract the most pain without leaving a mark on Harry's body, so that there would be nothing for anyone to find. The Dursleys didn't want to be abnormal; having Child Services come down on them for abuse would definitely be abnormal.

He knew that he should tell Fred and George about the slight pain he was feeling, but it was nothing compared to the pain that Vernon had caused. So, he kept his mouth shut. He didn't want anyone to think that he couldn't handle being apart from Charlie. He didn't want anyone treating him like a baby or like he was fragile. So, he said nothing.

After two weeks, the pain seemed to level off, hovering somewhere between slightly painful and painful-but-I-can-take-it. Harry didn't think it was anything to worry the twins over. He noticed Ron watching him a little more carefully and knew that Fred and George had spoken to him. He found that getting out of bed in the mornings was the worst. His muscles and bones protested every movement until he had been up for about an hour.

The problem he hadn't forseen was that the pain was beginning to affect his appetite. He was eating less and knew it. He was back to eating what he had been allowed at the Dursley household, which wasn't much. He knew he could survive on it, he had been for years. Fred and George conferred daily with Ron. They had noticed he was slow moving in the morning, but Ron assured them, he was like that at Hogwarts, too.

After about six weeks, the pain had gotten so bad that he could barely crawl out of bed in the mornings. Harry knew he should say something, but it had been ingrained in his head by the Dursleys that, if nothing was said, the pain eventually stopped. No one knew of the abuse he had received from Uncle Vernon, he had never told Ron. That wasn't something you told anyone about. It only got you into more trouble.

The family went to Diagon Alley about two weeks before the start of the term, so that they could get their books and supplies. They had a run-in with Draco Malfoy and Mr. Malfoy in Flourish and Blotts. Insults were traded between Harry and Draco and Arthur and Mr. Malfoy. After they got back, everyone was more relaxed and seemed to shrug off the encounter. It worried Harry, though. If the pain got any worse, he didn't know if he would be able to stand up to Malfoy.

~OOooOO~

Charlie was frustrated. The handler he was supposed to exchange places with still hadn't returned from the United States. It was the day of the start of term for Harry and he had wanted to be there, at the platform, to see him off.

"Rowan? When is this exchange going to happen? It's been over two months now and I'm starting to feel rather odd."

Rowan's head shot up. "When you say odd, how do you mean it?"

"Almost like pain, but not quite. Sort of a dull throb, low in my chest."

"Shit! We need you to get back to England, now! If you're feeling this, what is your little soul mate feeling? Have you heard from him?"

"Yes, but he's never mentioned any pain, just that he misses me. Do you think he's not telling me about being in pain?"

"Da, yes I do. He's twelve, he's going to feel much more than you. His tolerance for pain will be lower than yours, because of his age. Pack your things, we'll get you there as soon as we can." He went to speak with the director of the dragon reserve in Scotland. He was back in less than 10 minutes, fuming.

"He's been back for over a month! They never sent him out here! Get your things together, we're going there!"

Charlie packed and shrunk his belongings down and shoved them into his pockets. He was really concerned about Harry and wanted to get back to England as quickly as possible. He had spoken to the twins and Ron every week, but all that they had reported was that Harry was slow to get up in the mornings. He knew, from speaking to Bill, that Harry had promised to tell Fred and George if anything was wrong, but he wondered if Harry would actually say anything. He remembered the flinch that Harry had tried to cover at the train station and wondered if his family had been abusive.

He and Rowan flooed to the Scottish reserve as soon as he got back to the office. The director of the other reserve was apologetic, but unrepentant. The other handler hadn't been told that he was being traded to the Romanian reserve, so he knew nothing about it.

"I'm sorry! If I had known, I'd have gone there right away." He lowered his voice. "I can't stand Gerard anyway." His accent betrayed him as being an American. "He never told me. If I may ask, what's so urgent?"

"My soul mate is very young and shouldn't be that far away from me for long periods of time." 

"How young?"

"He's twelve. We discovered the bond by accident. I've got to go to the school now, I've missed the boarding time for the train. Fortunately, Harry's at Hogwarts, so it won't be a long distance apparation." He told the director where he was going. "I need to make sure he's alright."

"What's the rush? You just got here." The director was starting to get on Charlie's nerves. Rowan grabbed the other man's shirt and lifted him off of the floor, pushing him up against the wall of the office. It was almost amusing to see the 5'3" Rowan lift the 6'2" Gerard off of the floor.

"The boy is twelve! You knew this. You knew it could be painful for him, but you did nothing! Charlie, go to this school. Be there to meet the boy and make certain that he is alright." Turning back to the other director, he spat "You are an ass! You had better appreciate Charlie working here. His leaving is a huge loss for our reserve."


	7. Author's Note

**Author's Note:**

Just so that everyone knows...Harry is not going to remain blood adopted by the Weasleys. Sirius will return, of course, but with Charlie in the picture, he will remain alive. The Weasley blood adoption will be removed, and then Sirius will adopt Harry. I hadn't realized, until I read one of the reviews, exactly what I would be doing to Charlie and Harry...thank you **Alec McDowell. **I promise no truly disgusting squicks! Just Mpreg :)


	8. Chapter 7

~OOooOO~

Harry knew he was going to be in severe pain once the train stopped at the Hogsmeade station. He could barely move and actually needed help from Ron and the twins to get off of the train.

"Harry! Why didn't you say something?" Ron was beside himself. He was upset with himself because he hadn't seen how much pain his brother was in. "We could have had Charlie come home, then the pain wouldn't be as bad!" Fred and George nodded, agreeing with Ron.

"Yeah, Harry..."

"...you were supposed..."

"...to tell us..."

"...if you were in pain!"

Harry groaned. "It wasn't anything I couldn't handle until now. I don't know why I'm hurting so badly."

Fred stopped and picked Harry up in his arms, shocked by how light Harry was. "I can't believe you thought that this is normal, Harry. C'mon, let's get you into a carriage, so that we can get up to the castle faster." The four of them quickly made their way to a carriage and climbed in. George went first, taking Harry from Fred once he was inside. Fred and Ron climbed in after he got Harry settled. They were followed by Hermione.

"Harry! You should have said something! You knew that this could be painful. Why didn't you tell one of your brothers?" She sat next to him and held his hand. She had been told about the situation via letters from both Ron and Harry. When she had done some research, she had added her advice to that of the twins.

"Hermione, like I told them, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle until the train stopped." Harry was beginning to feel light-headed and quickly closed his mouth. He wasn't sure if he was going to be sick, and he didn't want to puke on anyone. He watched as his vision grew dark and wondered if he was going to die.

"Harry? _**HARRY!**_" The voices grew faint as the darkness overwhelmed him.

Whatever was pulling the carriage seemed to understand that they needed to get to the castle quickly and the carriage pulled out of the queue. The carriage moved quickly past the other carriages and made it to the front doors of the castle in no time. The door opened and they were met by Professors Dumbledore and Snape and, surprisingly, Charlie.

Charlie barely waited for the carriage to stop before opening the door and climbing inside. He gathered Harry's smaller body close to his and sat on the step to the carriage. "What do I do? Why won't he wake up?" The dragon handler didn't notice the tears starting to stream down his cheeks.

Severus put a hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Let everyone out of the carriage and sit inside." Charlie stood, so that the others could leave, and then moved back to sit on one of the seats. "I realize that he's only twelve, but, at this point, I believe that you must kiss him."

Charlie raised his head and he stared at the older man. "Kiss him? Will that work?"

"It should. His half of the soul will recognize your half and begin to heal him."

"But what about the blood adoption? I mean, I don't recognize him as a brother, but everyone else in my family does."

"The soul bond does not recognize blood adoptions. To it, you are not related. As you are now situated where you can be here for him, after this, kissing him should not be necessary."

Charlie looked down at the pale boy in his arms. He was shaking so badly that he could barely hold Harry properly. Severus left the carriage and closed the door, giving Charlie and Harry privacy. Charlie drew a deep breath and gently touched his lips to Harry's. He felt a sudden surge of magic pass through him and out of the carriage. Vaguely he heard several gasps from outside, but paid them no mind. Harry was the only one he was concerned with right now. He had to make this better. He had to fix what had gone wrong.

He felt Harry stir in his arms and gently eased back. As he watched, the colour began to return to Harry's face and his eyes opened. He had a confused look on his face and he looked around him before focusing on Charlie. His green eyes lit up and a beautiful smile graced his lips.

"Charlie!" Harry's arms shot up and wound themselves around Charlie's neck. Charlie held Harry to his chest tightly and began to cry again. He felt small fingers touch his cheeks to wipe away his tears.

"I'm alright now Charlie. Please stop crying."

"I tried to get back. I was supposed to be here over six weeks ago. I was traded to the reserve here in Scotland, so that we could be close. My replacement was never told that he was supposed to go to Romania to replace me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Harry."

Harry pulled Charlie closer and held the older man as he cried. He really wasn't sure what had happened, but, he knew he felt so much better now that Charlie was here.

"So, you're in Scotland now?"

Charlie nodded. "I'll be able to come see you once a week. You won't have to go through this again. Why didn't you tell anyone?"

Harry ducked his head and mumbled.

"Didn't catch that, please repeat it."

"Until today it wasn't anything I couldn't deal with. I'm used to pain."

"Harry? Why are you used to being in pain?" Charlie was afraid of what he would hear.

"My Uncle Vernon would...he used to..." Harry broke off, still fighting with the ingrained fear of telling someone.

"You can tell me. You can tell me anything, you know that, right?"

Harry nodded and took a deep breath. "My uncle would...hit me. Sometimes. I learned when I was really young that, if you didn't say anything, didn't complain, the pain usually went away after a while. Only, this time, it wouldn't go away. It just kept getting worse."

Neither one had noticed the door to the carriage opening. Albus stood and listened to Harry's words, horrified that he had placed Harry in a home where he was abused.


	9. Chapter 8

~OOooOO~

Charlie and Harry left the carriage, only to be met by questions from everyone waiting for them.

"What was that, Charlie?"

"It felt like a wall of magic!"

"Hermione actually fell down when it hit her, what was it?"

Charlie steadied Harry and looked at everyone. "I don't know what it was. Remember, I was inside the carriage. Now, we need to get inside. I want Madame Pomfrey to look Harry over."

"Charlie, I'm fine. Please don't take me there. She won't let me leave for the feast!" Harry was really hungry and didn't want to miss out on the banquet.

Charlie looked at Albus. "What do you think?"

"I believe that Mr. Weasley-Potter should be fine. You may stay with him for the feast." His eyes twinkled at the younger man. "I'm fairly certain that you won't get food such as this on that reserve of yours."

Charlie chuckled slightly. "No, you're right. We don't eat like this at the reserve. Well, we didn't in Romania."

As they went inside the castle, the three adults were talking about the best way to have Harry and Charlie be together for their one day a week. Charlie had made it a condition of his employment at the Scottish reserve that he have off one full day per week. It was written into the contract he had read and signed before hastily leaving for Hogwarts.

"My day off is always going to be on a Sunday. Maybe I can just come here before breakfast and stay until just after supper. That way, we get to spend most of the day together."

"That seems to be a sound plan, Mr. Weasley. I will let Professor McGonagall know to expect you and to give you the password for the Gryffindor tower. You will be able to wait for Harry in the common room."

With that settled, everyone went into the Great Hall to wait for the rest of the students. They began to trickle in, followed by a flood as most of the upper years seemed to want to make it through the doors at the same time. Harry watched as Draco Malfoy separated himself from his friends and sauntered over to him.

"Special treatment, eh Potter? Suppose you expected it, being the spoiled, pampered little thing you are."

Harry said nothing, just hunched his shoulders and stared at the table. Charlie was becoming angry. Who the hell was this little twit? And why wouldn't Harry stand up for himself?

"And who might you be, with the really bad attitude?" Charlie didn't care if he sounded childish, this prat had just insulted his soul mate! "I would suggest that you take your little self over to the table where you belong and let us get on with our conversation."

Malfoy straightened and shot a disbelieving look at Charlie. "Who am I? What do..."

"Yes, I asked who you are. I obviously don't know you, and, judging by your attitude, I don't think I want to." He lowered his voice so that Draco had to lean in to hear him. "Just remember something, Blondie...I am of age, a fully trained wizard. You are just a runt who thinks he means something. I'd lose the attitude, were I you. You never know who you're going to offend."

With that, Charlie turned his back to Malfoy and attempted to restart the conversation. Hermione saw it coming, but before she could say anything, Malfoy pointed his wand at Charlie's back and muttered a spell. Everyone, including Charlie, ducked and the spell uselessly hit the wall. A hand descended on Malfoy's shoulder and he found himself being led up to the head table by Minerva McGonagall.

"I believe that you saw what happened Professor Dumbledore, and you as well, Professor Snape. I will leave it up to you as to the punishment. Mr. Weasley is not a student here and Mr. Malfoy attacked him."

Draco stood and stared at his head of house. The look of disappointment on his godfather's face was almost too much to bear. Draco had promised to watch his mouth around Potter. He hadn't made it through the first day, and he was already in trouble. "I'm sorry Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape. I don't..."

"Mr. Malfoy. Please stop talking." Professor Dumbledore cut him off before he could really get started. "Your actions are inexcusable. You are confined to your dormitory for two weeks. You will attend every class and meals, but nothing else. Is that understood?"

Draco shot a look at Severus before nodding. "Yes, sir. I understand." His head hung as he walked to the Slytherin table. Severus couldn't fault the punishment. It could have been much worse. He could have expelled the little brat. He loved Draco, truly he did, but the boy just couldn't seem to control himself when it came to Potter. He had promised Albus that he would watch over Potter, when he was able, and he wasn't about to go back on that. Harming Charlie Weasley would inadvertently harm Potter, and he wasn't going to allow one of his house members to do that. Then, there was also his promise to Lily. That promise meant more to him than one made to the doddering old fool next to him.

Charlie gently put an arm around Harry's shoulders. "Are you alright?"

Harry nodded. "I hate him. Truly hate him. But I promised Professor Snape that I wouldn't say anything to make Malfoy more mad at me. That's why I didn't say anything back to him."

"Well, then, it's good that you kept your promise. If you make a promise, you need to make sure you do whatever you can to keep it. Professor Dumbledore will be writing to me occasionally, to let me know how things are going. I want to hear from you at least once a week. Got that my Raven?"

Harry smiled up at Charlie. "Raven?"

"Yup...my new nickname for you. Everyone should have a good nickname. Mine's Charlie, but you can't shorten Harry any, so, you are now Raven." He looked up at everyone listening. "But only to me. I'm the only one allowed to call you Raven." Everyone's head nodded in agreement. They weren't going to risk the anger of a dragon handler.


	10. Chapter 9

~OOooOO~

Most of Harry's second year passed uneventfully. Unless you counted the fact that several students had been petrified by a basilisk. Hermione was one of these students and Harry was extremely upset. He had written to Charlie about it and the dragon handler had shown up at the school that night, even though he had just left the evening before. Harry, Ron and Ginny had cried on his shoulders. With some prompting, Ginny had handed over a diary belonging to a boy named Tom Marvolo Riddle. Charlie, who had more experience with dark objects than a couple of second year students, took the diary to Albus. The headmaster had taken one look at the diary and had immediately destroyed it. A strange sound, almost like a scream of pain, had come from the book, causing them all to stare at each other in fear.

Albus had locked and silenced his office and proceeded to explain to them exactly who Tom Marvolo Riddle had become. Ginny had fainted into her older brother Ron's arms. Harry had sat extremely still, holding onto Charlie's hand. This Tom Riddle had become Voldemort. The man who had killed his parents and had been responsible, in a roundabout way, for his abuse at the hands of the Dursleys.

After several months, a potion to reverse the effects of being petrified by the basilisk had been brewed and all of the students affected had been returned to normal. Hermione was happy that none of them had been harmed and she was glad that Charlie had been there for them when they needed him.

Draco Malfoy had tried, very briefly, to be nicer to Harry, but hadn't succeeded very well. When it was discovered that Harry was a Parselmouth, Malfoy had spread a rumour that Harry was the heir to Slytherin and should be thrown into Azkaban. Lucius Malfoy had been outed as the person who had given Tom Riddle's diary to Ginny by slipping it into one of her textbooks. Harry took great delight in this, but said nothing to Malfoy about it. He was intent on keeping his promise to Severus Snape.

The potions professor had begun to revise his opinion of Harry Potter. Severus saw that there was far more of Lily in her son than there was of James Potter. Severus began to share stories of Lily with Harry and their relationship improved drastically. Draco, seeing that his godfather had been won over by Potter, had become even worse to be around. He took every chance he could to torment Potter about his lack of real family and the fact that he'd been blood adopted by one of the poorest wizarding families in England. Harry had tried to ignore him, but everything came to a head one Sunday morning at breakfast.

"Hey, Potty! I'm surprised that the Weasleys can afford to feed you. You know they don't have two knuts to rub together." The entire Slytherin table broke out into laughter. Harry kept his back turned and said nothing.

Charlie leaned over and whispered to him. "Has it been like this all year?"

Harry nodded. "This is actually kind of mild. It's been worse. He's sort of behaving because you're here."

Charlie looked at Ron and Hermione, who nodded in agreement. "This is behaving?"

He looked up at the head table and caught the eye of Severus Snape. Snape raised an eyebrow and Charlie got up to walk to the table. Harry watched him go with trepidation. He could just see his new relationship with Professor Snape going down the drain. The man would stick up for someone who was not only a Slytherin, but also his own godson.

Charlie stopped in front of Severus and greeted him cordially. "Professor, I would like to ask to speak with you privately, if I may."

Severus nodded and rose. He led Charlie out of a side door into a little used hallway. He cast a privacy bubble around them, so that no one could hear their conversation. "You wished to speak with me, Mr. Weasley?"

"Yes. I'd like to know why you are holding Harry to his promise not to aggravate Draco Malfoy, but you are doing nothing to curb the boy's hatred of Harry. Harry's kept his promise to you. To my knowledge, he has not said or done anything to Draco Malfoy all year. I've asked my brother and Hermione to report back to me if he does."

"I cannot control what Draco does. I've tried to impress upon him that it would behoove him to be more pleasant to Mr. Potter, but he does not seem to care. I am actually proud that Harry has restrained himself from retaliating against Draco. You should be proud of him as well."

"I am. I'm very proud. I just can't understand why the Malfoy kid won't leave Harry alone. If Harry's done nothing to antagonize him, why does he keep it up?" Charlie was confused.

"I believe it stems back to the beginning of their first year. Draco had not made a good impression on Harry the first time they met and then he insulted your brother, Harry's first real friend. Harry refused to take Draco's hand. No one had told Harry that it is considered the epitome of rudeness and an insult not to take someone's hand when it is offered, whether they like that person or not."

Charlie sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Unfortunately, the damage has been done. Telling Harry now will only make him feel guilty, and it won't resolve anything between him and Malfoy. Maybe, if you told the boy why Harry refused his hand, he might understand?"

Severus nodded thoughtfully. "It may help. I would like to see Draco become a little closer with Harry. Unlike most people, I do not believe that Voldemort is gone. If he is not, Harry Potter may be the only one who can stop him."

Charlie felt a chill clear down to his bones. "You don't think You-Know-Who is gone?" The words were a whisper.

"No, Mr. Weasley, I do not. I cannot elaborate at this time, but it would be best if we were to keep a closer eye on Harry Potter. I believe that Professor Kettleburn may be retiring at the end of this term. I will speak with Albus about appointing you as the instructor for Care of Magical Creatures." Severus paused for a moment. "That is, if that appointment would be agreeable to you."

Charlie smiled at his former potions professor. "Yes. Please ask. I think it would be best if I am around more. If I am here, I can keep an eye open for anything out of the ordinary."

Severus nodded, a rare smile on his lips. "You are good for Harry, Mr. Weasley. I also believe that he is good for you. You need to be away from those dragons. They will eventually kill you, if you're not careful." Severus canceled the privacy bubble and the two men rejoined the population in the Great Hall.

Albus found Charlie before he left for the day. "Severus told me that he spoke to you about Silvanus Kettleburn retiring at the end of this term. He also told me that you might be interested in the position yourself. Is this true?"

"Yes, sir. I would love the chance to teach. I may only be twenty years old, but I think that I have a fairly extensive knowledge of magical creatures."

"Oh, you do, Charles, you do. Not only that, but I do not believe that we've ever had a dragon handler as an instructor before. The knowledge you hold will be invaluable. Will you accept my offer of the position of instructor for Care of Magical Creatures?"

"I will." Charlie smiled as Albus shook his hand, sealing the offer.

"I believe that I do not need to tell you to keep this information to yourself for the time being. It will be announced at the beginning of the next term in September."


	11. Chapter 10

~OOooOO~

Severus Snape looked carefully around him as he left the castle and went toward the Forbidden Forest. He walked quickly, looking neither left nor right. He strode into the forest and made his way to a small clearing. He made a peculiar clicking noise in his throat and a small white wolf crept out of the forest. The wolf paused and then began to change shape, until a man stood where the wolf had been.

"Have you been able to convince Draco to leave Potter alone?"

Severus shook his head in the negative. "No. He still insists on tormenting him, even though Potter refuses to retaliate. May I tell him..."

"Not yet, my friend, not yet."

"Has _**he**_ returned?"

"Also not yet. It is but a matter of time." The man looked hard at Severus. "Is it true that the second oldest Weasley is Potter's soul mate?"

"It is. Potter nearly died at the beginning of the term, but Charles was able to save him."

"The boy must be protected at all costs, my friend. Make certain that your godson does nothing to harm him or his soul mate. I am trusting you with this. Our lives will depend upon it."

Severus nodded. He looked about and stepped closer to the man. "Is there any way to stop him?"

A negative shake of the head was his answer, the man's long hair moved slightly with the motion. He sighed. "I wish there were. I will not go through this again, Severus. His forces are growing in strength again. I am finding my role as spy to be difficult. Be thankful that you are here, in relative safety."

"When he does come back, this will be the first place he will come."

"No, he will need a human form first. That will be impossible without the blood of his enemy, taken by force. Potter _**must**_ be kept safe!" The man looked around and transformed back into the white wolf. He crept up to Severus and licked the man's hand before slipping back into the forest.

"Luck go with you, my love."


	12. Chapter 11

~OOooOO~

The summer months between Harry's second and third years were spectacularly boring. Yes, he got to play Quidditch, yes, he got to sleep in and yes, he actually began to put on some weight and grow. But, other than those things, not much really happened to him. Oh, except for hearing about some prisoner escaping from the wizarding prison, Azkaban.

This news seemed to excite Molly and Arthur to no end. And it was _**not**_ a good excitement. They became horribly protective of Harry, requiring him and Ron to let Molly know where they were going to be at all times. Harry thought this rather odd, considering that, last year she had let them roam, basically free.

Charlie came to the Burrow once a week, just like he had during the school term. Molly relaxed her rules when Charlie was with them, so, once a week, they were able to be a little more free and could actually go swimming at the pond or take small trips into Ottery St. Catchpole. Harry had fun during these outings because he could explain the interesting muggle technology that the Weasley family had never heard of.

They all received their Hogwarts letters and went to Diagon Alley to purchase their school supplies. Harry and Ron were excited. They had also received a permission slip with their letters. This was for either Molly or Arthur to sign, so that they could go to the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Molly signed them both, but made the boys promise that they wouldn't go unless Charlie was with them.

"That means we'll only have one day to go, instead of two! Mum, please!" Ron was trying his best to be persuasive, but it wasn't working very well.

"I said no. I want Charlie with you when you go."

"Mum?" Harry tentatively tried his luck. "Why are you so determined that we not go without Charlie?"

"Ask your father. He can talk to you about it tonight. I don't want to hear any more about it right now. You have only two more days before you go back to school. Go and pack your things. Make sure all of your new clothes are packed, Harry. Your old things are much too short for you now." She looked fondly at both of her sons. "You're starting to gain height on Ron now, Harry. Maybe you'll end up taller than him, by the time you finish growing."

Harry and Ron looked at each other. There was still a four inch height difference between the two. Ron smirked slightly, but only until Harry jabbed a sharp elbow into his side.

After supper, Ron and Harry pulled Arthur aside to ask him why Charlie had to go with them to Hogsmeade. Arthur took them into Harry's bedroom and shut the door. He locked it and put up an imperturbable spell, so that no one could hear their conversation.

He had them both sit on the bed and he stood in front of them. "I'm sorry that you're both upset at having to have Charlie go with you to Hogsmeade. There is a reason, though, so I ask that you both hear me out completely before you start getting more upset." He paused, trying to assemble his thoughts. "Have either of you heard of Sirius Black?"

Ron got a frightened look in his eyes as he nodded. Harry just looked confused. "I guess Ron has, but I haven't. Who is he?"

Arthur sighed heavily and conjured a chair. "Sirius Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who, during the first war. He kept his support a secret, so that no one knew of it." He turned to Harry. "Black was a friend of your parents. In fact, he was reported to have been their secret keeper."

"But, that would mean that he was the one who gave them away, right?"

"Yes, Harry. That is exactly what that means."

"So, with him out of Azkaban, do you think he'll come looking for me?"

"We believe so. Minister Fudge had been to see Black the day before his escape. The dementors guarding him reported that, after Fudge's visit, Black kept repeating 'He's at Hogwarts, he's at Hogwarts' in his sleep. We're afraid he's going to try to find you."

Harry was confused again. "Why would he want me?"

"You killed his master, Harry. Rumour has it that Black was You-Know-Who's second in command. He probably sees you as the downfall of everything for him." Arthur placed his hands on Harry's shoulders. "Promise me that you will not go off of the school grounds without either Charlie, Albus Dumbledore or Severus Snape."

Harry nodded. "You have my promise. I'm not going to do anything stupid."

~OOooOO~

Draco Malfoy tried to confront Harry about Sirius Black on board the Express. "If it were me, I would want revenge."

"Old news, Malfoy." Harry leaned his head back against the seat and tried to fall asleep. He turned his head slightly and met the amber coloured gaze of R.J. Lupin. The face looked familiar, but Harry couldn't place where he had seen it before. Then it struck him. He stood and grabbed the photo album that Hagrid had given him in first year, then sat back down. He flipped to a picture taken at his parents' wedding. There was his mum and dad and two other men. He looked at R.J. Lupin and back at the photo. Then he did it again.

"Yes, Harry, that's me."

Harry looked the man in the face for the first time. It was a tired looking face, covered with scratches and scars. He could still see the young man in his eyes, though. "Why didn't you try to contact me?"

Lupin sighed and sat up straight. "I tried, but I was told by Albus Dumbledore that I wasn't to contact you again. You were safe and protected at your aunt and uncle's house." He watched as a bitter look crossed Harry's face.

"Oh yes. Safe and protected. Mmhmm. I guess that's why they up and moved some time during my first year, so that I could continue to be safe and protected in an empty house. Dumbledore lied to you. He may not have known it at the time, but he lied."

"You-you weren't protected there?" The amber coloured eyes became darker.

"Hell no! They abandoned me during first year. They moved from their house while I was away at Hogwarts. They never came to pick me up at King's Cross. I went home with the Weasleys."

Lupin looked across the compartment at Ron, Ginny and Hermione, all three nodded like trained seals. He looked back at Harry, taking in the reddish-black hair and smattering of freckles across his nose. "You look more like Lily than I thought you would."

"I don't look like my mum. I look like a mix of my father and Molly Weasley. I was blood adopted by the Weasleys for the protection of blood wards. I've been living with them ever since. They're my family now."

Lupin let his head fall back against the seat and closed his eyes. Harry saw a tear leak out from underneath his lashes. Before he could say anything, the train lurched to a halt and the lights went out. The compartment door opened. "H-H-Harry?" Neville Longbottom stood in the doorway.

"C'mon in Nev. The train will start up again in a moment." Neville sat next to Harry and tried to get a conversation going. Harry could feel a growing cold permeate the compartment. Lupin slid his wand out of a holster on his wrist and stood.

The compartment door slid open and a tall cloaked figure stood there. Harry felt the cold strike through him like a knife and heard the sounds of screams, saw a flash of green light and then the cold intensified. He was standing on Platform 9 3/4 again, realizing that the Dursleys weren't coming to pick him up. He could feel the cold fear of abandonment clutch at his heart, then everything went black.


	13. Chapter 12

~OOooOO~

Charlie felt cold. He was sitting at a table in the teacher's relaxation room. He was trying to prepare himself for his first year of teaching. He knew what he was doing, but he was still a little unnerved. He felt the cold become more intense and he began to shake slightly. Severus and Minerva had noticed his tremors and walked over to him. He looked up at Minerva. "Is it me, or is it really cold in here?"

Severus placed his hand on Charlie's arm. "You're freezing Charlie, what's wrong?" Charlie had essentially begged Severus to call him Charlie, instead of the more formal Charles.

Charlie didn't answer, he was hearing muted screaming in his head and he shook it, trying to get rid of the sounds. His vision went black for a second, then focused on a familiar scene. Platform 9 3/4. Harry was sitting on his trunk, looking lost and frightened. He felt a sense of abandonment creep over him. He tried to stand, but his legs wouldn't hold him and he dropped to the floor. "Harry!"

~OOooOO~

Harry slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision. A hand moved over his face and the infirmary came into focus. He looked up into worried blue eyes. "Charlie?"

"How are you feeling, Raven?"

"Weak. What happened?"

Remus Lupin stepped into his line of vision. "I can answer that, if you'd like Harry." Harry nodded, so the man continued. "What that was, on the train, was a Dementor. They are the guards at Azkaban, the wizarding prison. They are capable of sucking all the good memories out of a person, essentially leaving them with only the bad memories. What did you see or hear before you passed out?"

"I heard screaming. I saw a bright green flash of light, but then it changed and I was..."

"Sitting on your trunk at the Platform. I saw it. I heard the screaming, too." Charlie had finished his sentence for him and Harry looked at him in confusion.

"How could you know what happened?"

"I could feel it, Harry, I could see it. I don't know how, but I knew something was wrong with you. I got to the train as soon as it arrived." Charlie could feel the other man staring at him. He looked up and met a curious amber gaze.

"You could see what Harry saw? How is that possible?" He looked at Harry for an explanation.

"Sir, Charlie is my soul mate." He moved his hand slightly and felt the comforting grasp of Charlie's larger, calloused hand.

Lupin's eyes widened. He turned to Charlie. "And you heard the screaming and saw what Harry saw?"

Charlie nodded.

The older man ran a hand through his hair. "We need Albus down here. Maybe he can explain this." He turned to look at Madame Pomfrey and she nodded. She walked over to the floo and fire-called the headmaster's office. Within a minute, Albus Dumbledore was stepping out of the hearth and walking toward Harry's bed.

"Well then, I am happy to see that you are finally awake, Mr. Weasley-Potter. And how are you feeling?"

"Tired, sir. Sir? I think we need you to explain something to us."

"What would that be?"

"Why would Charlie be able to see and hear what I did when that thing on the train came to our compartment?"

Albus looked at Charlie for confirmation. Receiving it, the old man thought for a moment. He held out his hand and a book appeared. Opening it, he flipped through the pages until he reached the one he was looking for. "Ah, here we go. Please read this, Mr. Weasley-Potter."

_'There are three steps in the bonding process between soul mates. The first step is the recognition. This is when the two halves of one soul meet each other for the first time. They immediately recognize that they complete each other. The second step is the forging of a mind link between the two individuals. The soul mates will be able to sense each other's presence, thoughts and emotions through this link. It is thought that this step in the process developed so that the individuals would know when their mate was in danger. Some soul mates have even found that they are able to communicate through the mind link, although this is rare. The more powerful the wizard, however, the more likely he is to be able to communicate through the link. The third step is the actual bonding itself. This step is the most involved, as it requires the physical consummation of the bond, sealing the bond throughout eternity. Once the three steps of the bond have been completed, procreation between wizards is possible.'_

"What does this mean, 'procreation between wizards is possible.'?"

Charlie flushed when Albus chuckled. Remus took pity on Harry and explained. "It means, Harry, that you will be able to have children together."

Harry's eyes widened. "B-but...that's impossible! Men can't do that! Can they?"

Albus chuckled again. "It is possible through several means. Potions and spells are the most common. They are used for same-sex couples. Both men and women use them. The other way is through a soul bond. The bonding of the souls together creates the ability for two men to have a child together. It is the only way a wizard can carry a child without the use of potions."

"So, you mean that, once Charlie and I...well, um, once that happens, one of us, or both of us could get pregnant?" Harry turned a bright red. "Alright, that just skeeves me out."

Albus looked confused at the term and Charlie laughed. "It means that, right now, it really bothers him to think about it." He looked at Harry. "Want to change the subject?"

Harry nodded emphatically. "_**YES!**_"

Albus nodded. "I understand. You are a little too young to be worrying about that. Well, back to the mind link. This is the second step in the bonding process. It means that you and Charles have become more comfortable with the bond. He will now be able to know if something is bothering you or if something is threatening you. You will also know the same about him. The mind link works both ways."

Harry cocked his head to the side. "So, if, say, Draco Malfoy is threatening me, Charlie will know about it?"

"That is correct, Harry. And if Charles is in danger, you will know it. Eventually, you may even be able to communicate by sending thoughts to each other through the link."

Harry looked thoughtfully at Charlie. _Does this bother you? Being connected to me?_ he thought. He wanted to know if they'd reached that point yet.

"No." Charlie answered Harry's non-verbal question.

"No what, Charles?" Albus was confused again.

Harry smiled broadly. "We seem to have reached that communication point already. I asked him if this bothered him." Charlie's eyes grew wide when he realized that he hadn't actually heard the question with his ears, just his mind.

_Does it bother you?_

Harry shook his head in the negative.

"Oh dear. This could prove to be somewhat interesting." Albus was looking back and forth between the two grinning young men.

Remus Lupin broke in. "I'm still a bit in the dark how all this came about. Could someone please explain it to me?"

Albus left while the three younger men were speaking. He wanted to look up more about the soul bonds. He seemed to remember something about soul mates being able to share magic, once the bond was fully formed and consummated. He paused on the other side of the curtains in the infirmary. He could still hear their conversation, but it gave the appearance of privacy. He rifled through the pages in the book again, looking for passages about magic.

~OOooOO~

As it turned out, Harry and Charlie had missed the Welcoming Feast. Remus had been there; it wouldn't do for both of the new instructors to be missing. But, as soon as the feast had ended, Remus had almost run to the infirmary. Now he sat with James and Lily's son, getting to know him better. When he heard the whole story about the Dursleys and their abuse, he made a vow to himself that he would find them and make them pay for what they had done to his friends' beloved child.

"So, Professor Lupin, can you tell me what those things were doing on the Express?"

Remus sighed. He had hoped he wouldn't have to go this far in depth about Sirius Black. "They were trying to find Sirius Black."

"Is it true that he was my parents' best friend?"

"Yes, Harry, he was. He was the other man in those photos you were looking at."

"Why would he do what he did? Why did he betray my parents?" Charlie could feel Harry's pain coming through the link.

"I wish I knew, Harry. I really wish I did. He was my best mate as well. The betrayal hit me hard, too. One moment, you and your parents were happy, in hiding, but happy. The next, they were gone and you had been taken to live with your Aunt Petunia."

"Did you know my aunt?"

"Unfortunately, yes I did. She hated anything to do with magic, because Lily had it and she didn't. She was jealous. That jealousy quickly turned to hatred when she met up that Dursley fellow. A bad egg if ever I saw one."

After a few more moments of conversation, Remus Lupin left Harry and Charlie to seek out his bed. He had a vial of Dreamless Sleep with his name on it. He wanted no memories of the pain of Sirius' betrayal to disturb his first night back at Hogwarts.


	14. Chapter 13

~OOooOO~

Harry was ecstatic to find that Charlie was the new Care of Magical Creatures professor. It meant that their contact didn't have to be limited to once a week. Charlie took to eating all his meals at the Gryffindor table with Harry and his brothers and sister. They all became closer than they had been before, even Percy. He was in his final year at Hogwarts and had been named Head Boy. The unfortunate thing about this appointment was that it had made him an insufferable git. For a brief time. Just until the first time Charlie and the twins joined ranks to pull a prank on him. After that, he seemed to become more human, eventually enjoying just being around his siblings. After over a year, he finally included Harry amongst his siblings.

Draco Malfoy had decided to try a little harder to be nice to Harry. His godfather seemed to think that it was better for him to be friends with Potter than to be enemies. He hadn't told his father, he didn't think Lucius would approve.

Severus had explained to Draco why Harry had refused his hand in First Year. When he looked back on it, Draco could see why it had happened. He thought about his actions of the last two years and realized that Harry had barely spoken to him, even after Draco had insulted his parentage or where he was now living. He looked at Severus and asked the one question that Severus had hoped he wouldn't.

"Why did Potter go to live with the Weasleys?"

Severus sighed and had his godson sit down. "Potter's relatives moved away from their house sometime during your first year. They never came to pick him up after the Express arrived at King's Cross Station."

A frown crossed Draco's face. "Didn't anyone try to find them? Why would they move away?" He looked up at Severus as a thought occurred to him. "They _**abandoned**_ him?"

"Yes. They abandoned him. They left some things belonging to his mother in the house, but otherwise, the house was empty. We don't know where they went, or why." Severus chose his words carefully. "They were not the nicest of people, Draco. Their treatment of Potter was questionable, at best, and abusive, at worst. This is why he was blood adopted by the Weasleys. Hopefully, being where he is obviously cared about will help erase his memories of his treatment at the hands of his relatives."

"They _**BEAT**_ him?" Draco was horrified. Even at his worst, his own father had never beaten him. And he had been a Death Eater. "Why would they do that? What about what we were told about him being loved and pampered? That all of his wishes were catered to?"

"Lies. All of the stories were lies. Judging from some of the things that Potter has told Professor Weasley and his friends, within my hearing of course, his relatives treated him worse than a house elf. I would hazard a guess that, by the time of your first year at Hogwarts, Potter's cooking skills were on par with a fairly decent chef."

Draco sat in stunned silence. This went against everything that he had ever been told by his parents, everything he had ever read about The Boy Who Lived. He needed time to re-think things. "May I be excused, Uncle Severus? I-I need to...think...about things now."

Severus nodded and let the boy leave. He hoped that telling Draco this would help the relationship between Harry and Draco.

~OOooOO~

Severus skirted the edge of the Quidditch pitch. He was headed into the Forbidden Forest. He picked his way through the underbrush, until he arrived at the same small clearing as before. He made the clicking sounds in his throat again and waited.

The small white wolf once again appeared. The wolf morphed into the man once more. The two men embraced and shared a short, but thorough kiss.

"How goes it with Draco?"

"Much better. I explained the circumstances of Potter's upbringing and treatment at the hands of his _**relatives**_." Severus fairly spat the word. He had seen far too much of that treatment himself to ever look on abuse objectively. "He is currently re-thinking his attitude toward Potter. I hope that our plans for the two to become friends will bear fruit. I hesitate to think of what could happen to Draco if he continues on the path he has been on. How have things been on your end, Love?"

"Not good Severus, not good. Crabbe and Goyle are amongst the stupidest people I have ever had the misfortune to be around. They will do whatever is requested of them, without question. Are their sons the same?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Blind followers, just like their fathers. I hope that, with this new information, Draco will begin to distance himself from them. Associating with them will only bring Draco down to their level." Severus placed his hand on the man's shoulder. "I wish you could be here, Love. I don't like to think of you placing yourself in harm's way again."

The long-haired man sighed. "I wish I could be with you, as well. My wife grows impatient with me, as I refuse to share her bed. I believe that she has taken a lover from the Death Eater ranks. Either McNair or Rookwood. I have yet to figure out which one." The disgust in his voice was plain to hear. "They are welcome to her."

"Patience, Love. We will win this. Then we can be together." The slightly shorter man moved into his lover's arms and laid his head on Severus' shoulder.

"Why now? Why couldn't he have been gone completely? I did not want to raise our child in the midst of another war. It is bad enough that your sister and blood-brother were killed by him for trying to protect their son, but for our child and theirs to be caught up in the second coming of that murderer?" Severus closed his arms more tightly around his love and held him while he cried.

"I know, Love. This is not what I had wished for them, or for any child, but especially not them." Severus raised the man's head. "A bit of information that you must keep to yourself...Harry and his soul mate have progressed to the second stage of their bond. I believe that they are able to communicate through the bond, as well. We must keep a close watch on Dumbledore now. I believe that he has found out that, once their bond is consummated, they will be able to share magic."

"No! He will use them and then throw them away, the same as he did us. We were forced to take the Dark Mark, and when we had fulfilled our usefulness, he cast us aside. We cannot allow him to do this to Potter and Weasley. Is there a way to warn Charles Weasley of Dumbledore's machinations?"

"Not yet. Their bond is still too new, and Potter is too young for Dumbledore to use him in that way. If I know Charlie, he will not allow the bond to be consummated until Potter is at least 16 years old. That is the age of consent, and I don't think that Charlie will try to complete that portion of the bond until then."

"I hope not. We can only be thankful that Dumbledore never found out about our bond. It is bad enough that he used us how he did. Think of how much worse it would have been, had he known that we are soul mates."

"Yes. We were wise to keep that to ourselves. I think that, had he known, we would now be dead, just like the Potters." Severus sighed. "It's at times like this that I miss Lily and James. They could keep us grounded. Any luck on finding Pettigrew?"

"No. But I know he's alive. Black did not kill him."

"Is Black innocent?"

"Yes. I am working on finding the evidence needed to exonerate him. His abilities, along with those of his wolf, would be very useful in winning this mess."

"Keep trying, Love. It has to be there, somewhere. I would dearly love to tell the wolf that his mate is innocent, but if I have no proof, I can't. I don't want to get his hopes up."

"Has he spoken to you about Black yet?"

"Not yet. I think he will soon. He knows that I am also a spy. He knew it the first time around."

"You..."

The sounds of footsteps crashing through the undergrowth stopped their conversation. Severus placed a quick kiss on his lover's lips and disappeared into the forest. The long-haired man silently morphed back into his wolf form and ran back into the trees. Bushes parted to reveal Remus Lupin, his eyes glowing gold as he smelled the scent of another wolf. And...he raised his nose and inhaled...Severus.


	15. Chapter 14

~OOooOO~

Severus was not surprised when Remus sought him out the next day. The werewolf waited patiently until the last students left the classroom. As the last student closed the door behind her, Remus cast the strongest locking and silencing spells he knew. Severus raised an eyebrow, but continued his work. He knew, though, when the wolf stalked up behind him.

"Who was he, Severus?" 

"Who was who, Wolf?"

"The one you met in the forest last night. I could smell both wolf and human forms, so he is an animagus. Who is foolish enough to risk their life in the Forbidden Forest?"

"That is between me and him."

"Is it the same as before?"

Severus smiled slightly. "It is." He looked over his shoulder at the man standing behind him. "He has never left me."

Remus smiled back at the taciturn man. "I'm glad Severus; you deserve some happiness." Remus' face fell as he thought about his own mate.

Severus was torn; he wanted to tell Remus about Black, but knew that he didn't have enough information. He decided that the wolf needed some hope.

"Listen to me, Wolf, and listen carefully; I will only say this once. Your mate is innocent. My mate is searching for proof that Pettigrew isn't dead."

The look of hope on the other man's face was enough to bring tears to Severus' eyes, though he hid them well. "I know you've not had much to look forward to for the last twelve years, so I thought that I could share that much. Once it has been proven, my mate will have yours set free."

Severus almost fell over as he suddenly found his arms full of a sobbing and whimpering Remus Lupin. He gingerly closed his arms around his old friend and held him as he sobbed.

~OOooOO~

Harry was enjoying the term so far. He had noticed a slight difference in Malfoy this year and wanted to know what had made him change his mind. The wondering increased when he felt a hand on him arm, dragging him into an empty classroom. His wand was out and pointing at his attacker before he saw it was Draco Malfoy.

"What do you want Malfoy?"

"Two things: One, call me Draco, as I intend on calling you Harry. And, two, tell me about your childhood, how you were raised."

Harry raised one eyebrow slightly. "Alright, as long as you tell me why first."

"Uncle Severus told me a bit about you, hoping it would make me change my mind about us being mates." Draco saw Harry shudder at the use of the word 'mates'. "Sorry...friends. Does it bother you for someone to call you their mate?"

Harry looked at Draco and took a deep breath. "First, yes, I will call you Draco, just as long as you return the favour, like you said you would, and call me Harry. Second, I'll tell you about my childhood in a minute. Third, yes, believe it or not, it does bother me. I have a soul mate and he is the only mate I will have."

"Weasley!" Draco breathed. "Weasley is your soul mate! Does Dumbledore know?"

"Yes, but I'm beginning to wish he didn't. He's really starting to scare me. He keeps talking under his breath every time he sees me."

"What does he say?"

"Something about shared magic and getting Charlie to do it now. I don't think I want to know what he means." Harry looked at Draco again and motioned for him to sit on the desk opposite of the the one he hopped up on. "My childhood was a mess. A rather violent mess. My relatives hate me; well, they hate anything to do with magic, therefore they hate me. When my parents were killed by Voldemort, I was sent to live with them in Surrey. The earliest memory I have of my relatives is of my uncle beating me. But he didn't beat me anywhere that people could see. He'd make me take off my shoes, but not my socks, and he would tie my feet together. He'd take this leather strap with a piece of heavy plastic on the end and beat the soles of my feet. I couldn't walk for days after he did that."

Draco went pale and looked as if he would vomit. "Why? Why would he do that? That's just _**sick**_!"

"He didn't want to leave marks. The beatings would bruise slightly, but not much, because the skin on the soles of your feet is thicker than anywhere else on your body. The pain was absolutely horrible, though. It felt as if he was shoving a red-hot poker up my legs, through the bottoms of my feet. If I screamed or cried, he just hit harder."

Draco swallowed audibly and wiped his forehead. "How can you just sit there and talk about this? I'm not the one it happened to and I feel like being sick!"

Harry shrugged. "The last time it happened was over two years ago. I still have problems first thing in the morning, though. It hurts like hell, sometimes, to put my feet flat on the floor. Ron just thinks that I'm slow to get out of bed. I've never told him about it. I grew up knowing that, if I told someone, he would hit me where it might actually show, and then I'd get in more trouble."

"Why would he beat you?" Neither of them noticed the two shadows by the door of the classroom. The taller of the two shadows grabbed the shorter, stockier one to keep it from going into the room.

"Because I was my parents' child. Both my aunt and uncle hated my parents. My parents were a witch and wizard, so they thought that they would beat that ability out of me. Every time something went wrong, I got blamed for it, even if I didn't have anything to do with it. With the blame came one of two things; either I got another beating or I didn't get to eat and had to stay in my cupboard."

"Cupboard? They kept you in a cupboard?" The horror in Draco's voice made Harry realize that something was really wrong.

"What's wrong?"

"Harry, do you know what we were all told as we were growing up?" Harry shook his head. "We were told that you were placed in a home where you were loved and pampered."

Harry snorted. "Not even close. I think that only the threat of more 'freaks' coming to their house kept my aunt and uncle from actually killing me. They didn't want to have to deal with my 'parents' world' any more than they absolutely had to."

The two shadows moved away from the doorway, the taller of the two supporting the smaller. As they passed into a patch of sunlight, the shadows became two Hogwarts teachers. Severus Snape worked on controlling his anger while Charlie Weasley tried to keep his lunch down.


	16. Chapter 15

~OOooOO~

Severus led Charlie out of the castle. Once he was certain they were alone, Severus turned to Charlie, only to find him on his knees, vomiting. He held on to the former Gryffindor, holding his hair out of the way and making sure he didn't collapse completely. Once Charlie was done, Severus cast a cleaning spell and a breath freshening charm on him.

"Severus, please tell me that you heard Harry! Albus is talking about me and Harry...about us...now! Gods! He's only thirteen!" Charlie shook his head almost violently, trying to rid himself of the memory of those words. "What am I supposed to do? How can I protect Harry from that...that...monster?"

"Calm yourself Charlie. There are several spells that can be placed on both you and Harry so that neither of you will want to consummate your bond until he is at least sixteen. They are a form of compulsion spell that act as a sexual repellant. I, personally, don't think that you need them, though. You are not the type of person to take advantage of someone who is so obviously underage. There is also the fact that Harry is not even close to thinking of you in that way. I need to speak with two people about this development."

"Who?"

"Remus Lupin and my bond-mate. Remus, because he will go to the ends of the earth to protect James and Lily Potter's son, and my bond-mate, because he will help me find a way to keep the old man under close observation. Since I am head of Slytherin House, if I feel that the man has lost his mind, I can remove him from his position. I would need the support of two other Heads of House, but I think that Pomona Sprout and Minerva McGonagall wouldn't hesitate to assist, if needed. Flitwick is too close to the old fool to be trusted. He needs to be watched and listened to very carefully. Without proof, like a memory, there's nothing that can be done."

"Whatever you need to do, please do it. I won't have Harry put in danger because of our bond." Charlie shook his head again. "When did Dumbledore lose his mind?"

"I don't know, Charlie, I don't know."

~OOooOO~

That night, Severus went into the forest again. He had sent an owl to his mate, telling him they needed to meet that night, that something had happened. This time, however, he wasn't alone; Remus accompanied him to the clearing.

The long-haired man was already waiting when the two arrived. He was surprised to see Lupin, but knew, instinctively, that this concerned Potter. "What is it, Love? What's happened?" He nodded at Remus, acknowledging him.

"Harry has heard the headmaster making comments under his breath about Charlie consummating their bond now, so that they can share magic. Fortunately, Harry didn't realize what he heard."

Remus turned to face him. "Please tell me you're not serious!"

"I'm sorry Wolf. I am deadly serious. Charlie and I overheard him tell Draco that he had heard the headmaster make these comments."

His mate made a choking sound in his throat. "He's only thirteen! It's not even legal for another three years. If Charlie tried to...to...to do _**that**_, he'd be thrown into Azkaban, soul mate or not!"

Remus shook his head. "Charlie wouldn't. He knows the kind of harm that could do to Harry."

"You're right, Wolf. He wouldn't. He and I have already spoken about it. The thought of it actually made him get sick. Harry wouldn't either. He's too young to be thinking of his soul mate in those terms."

Remus looked at Severus' mate. "How can we keep a close watch on him without him catching on?"

"I need to think about it. With something as delicate as this, it may take more than one person, placed near him, to catch him. We need someone he trusts to get him to confide in them." Both he and Remus looked at Severus.

"He doesn't trust me that much, Love."

"It's either you or Remus."

Remus studied the two men for a moment. "There is another option."

"What is it, Wolf?"

"Minerva. We would need to take her into our confidence first, but once she is told of the threat to one of her boys, I don't think she'll hesitate to be our eyes and ears."


	17. Chapter 16

~OOooOO~

Severus and Remus cornered Minerva the next day. She hadn't believed them at first, but, once she had viewed Severus' memory of the conversation between Draco and Harry, she knew what had to be done.

"I'll watch and listen. Neither of you would work well, you're not that close to him. He trusts me and, if I ask the right questions, he'll tell me what he has planned. I just have to see if I can listen to his plans without becoming ill. How could he want them to consummate their bond now? Harry isn't old enough to make an informed decision."

"We know. Fortunately, Charlie is of the same mind-set that we are. He thinks that it's disgusting and wrong for Albus to want to force them to complete the bond now. He was also witness to the conversation between Harry and Draco and said that I should do whatever is necessary to keep this from happening." Severus had started to pace restlessly. "I don't know why he wants to force this issue. He knows that Harry is too young and that Charlie will refuse to have sex with Harry."

Minerva placed a calming hand on Severus' shoulder. "All we can do now is watch and wait."

~OOooOO~

Harry knew that Charlie and Professor Lupin had become more protective of him. He just didn't know why. Ron and Hermione had been told to watch Harry like a hawk, and to tell Charlie, Remus or Severus if something happened to him.

The months slid past. Everyone was on edge because of Sirius Black. The Azkaban escapee had not been located, although reports of him had been owled in from as far away as Germany. Ron's rat, Scabbers, his loyal but sleepy companion for the last three years had gone missing. Ron was of the mindset that Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, had eaten Scabbers, but had no proof. Ron and Hermione were not speaking, so Harry, as usual, was caught in the middle. He hated when the two argued, but there was no helping it. He wanted to side with his brother, but he also saw Hermione's point of view.

There had been reports recently that Sirius Black had been seen in Hogsmeade, so all Hogsmeade weekends had been cancelled. With Harry's extra protection, it seemed as if he went absolutely nowhere on his own. Ron even wanted to accompany Harry when he went to the loo. Harry had vetoed this adamantly, until Hermione piped in that, unless he wanted _**HER**_ to go with him, he'd better accept Ron. Harry reluctantly allowed Ron's presence everywhere. They found Scabbers hiding in Harry's trunk and Ron wouldn't let go of the poor creature. Now that he had him back, he wasn't letting his pet out of his sight.

They were walking around the grounds one day, with Charlie trailing behind them, when Ron was attacked by a large black dog. The dog knocked Ron down and grabbed the back of his shirt, dragging him behind him, screaming the entire way. Harry, Hermione and Charlie followed the dog to the Whomping Willow, where one of the branches broke Ron's leg as the dog was dragging him along. The dog and Ron disappeared into a secret passageway beneath the tree as Harry and Hermione tried to keep from getting killed by its branches. Charlie grabbed the two teens and ran between the branches to get them to the underground passage.

They followed the sounds of Ron's terrified screams through the passage and up into the Shrieking Shack. Finding Ron bleeding but alive on the second floor, Harry, Hermione and Charlie all tried to get him to tell them what happened.

"Where's the dog, Ron?"

Ron raised a shaking finger and pointed behind them. "He's the dog. It's Sirius Black!"

They heard pounding footsteps behind them and Remus Lupin and Severus Snape flung themselves through the doorway, only to come to a halt as they saw Sirius Black standing behind the group with Ron's wand pointed at Charlie.

"Don't come near me! I need to have my say in all of this!"

Severus and Remus both tried to calm Black, but he was too agitated to hear their words. Harry, however, heard them. "_**STOP!**_ They're trying to talk to you, you might want to listen to them. I promise that you'll get your say, but you need to listen first!"

Dead silence reigned as the adults stared at Harry. Black spoke first. "H-Harry?" He slowly walked up to the boy and ran a shaking hand through the tousled black hair. "Gods, you look just like James!"

Remus held Charlie back as he tried to make a lunge for the man touching his soul mate. "Calm down Charlie, he's not going to hurt Harry."

"How do you know? This is Sirius Black!"

Black looked up at the redhead. "Yes, I'm Sirius Black, but I'm also Harry's godfather. I would sooner hurt myself than hurt Harry. James and Lily trusted me with his life, I won't betray that trust." He looked at Remus and dropped his head. "I don't suppose you'll believe me if I tell you that I didn't do anything?"

Remus walked over to Black and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know you didn't do anything. I'm assuming there's a reason why you dragged poor Ron through the tunnel like that."

"Pettigrew!" Black's lip curled in a snarl. "That rat he carries with him is Pettigrew! Look at its paw, it's missing the same finger Pettigrew cut off, the only one they found."

Harry remembered being told about how the only thing the Aurors had found of Peter Pettigrew had been a single finger. He looked at Ron and held out his hands for Scabbers.

Ron recoiled, clutching Scabbers closer to his chest. "No! He can't be this Pettigrew person, he's my rat!"

"Ron, think about it logically, how long do rats live?" Harry instinctively knew that Sirius Black was telling the truth, Scabbers was Peter Pettigrew.

"I dunno, three years maybe."

Hermione spoke next. "Alright, you've had him for three years, how many years did Percy have him before you?"

Ron's mouth dropped open as he realized that Scabbers had been alive for far longer than any normal rat should have been able to stay alive. He looked down at Scabbers in horror and immediately handed him over to Harry, who handed the rat to Professor Snape.

Severus, Remus and Sirius Black all pointed their wands at Scabbers and chanted a spell that ended the animagus spell. Scabbers twisted and turned on the floor, writhing as he tried to escape the effects of the spell. Everyone watched as Scabbers began to grow and transform into a small pudgy man. His skin and hair resembled that of the rat he had been for the last twelve years. They looked at his left hand, it was missing the index finger down to the first knuckle.

The shaking animagus turned to Ron and scuffled closer to him. "Please Master, please don't let them take me! I've been a good rat for you, I saved you from those other boys on the train..._**PLEASE!**_"

Ron slid back on the bed, away from the man pleading with him. "_**No!**_"

Harry turned to Pettigrew and grabbed the front of his decaying shirt. "You did it, didn't you? You killed my parents! You told that...that..._**THING**_ where to find them, didn't you? _**You**_ killed my parents!"

Severus cast the full body-bind spell. "Petrificus Totalus!" The former Marauder found his legs and arms bound as he fell to the floor face first. Severus walked over to him and flipped him over, giving no care to the fact that the man's head hit the leg of the bed. "You have a lot of explaining to do, Pettigrew."


	18. Chapter 17

~OOooOO~

When they reached the castle, the entire group headed down to the dungeons immediately, using a secret passageway that took them directly to Severus' office. He fire-called Dumbledore, Minerva and the office of the Head Auror and, within 15 minutes, there were three large and intimidating Aurors surrounding the chair that held Peter Pettigrew. He was given Veritaserum and the questioning started.

Pettigrew admitted that he was a minion of Voldemort and that he had betrayed the Potters. Charlie had to hold Harry back and was just glad that one of the Aurors had had the foresight to take all of their wands from them. The Aurors had brought a pensieve and, by halfway through the questioning, they had to stop to remove memories from it and place them into phials provided by Severus before they could continue. They began to put Pettigrew's memories directly into phials containing the pensieve liquid.

After several hours, the questioning was completed. Harry would have been surprised to learn that Peter Pettigrew still had some memories left in his head, but none were pertaining to Voldemort or his betrayal. The Aurors then began taking memories from everyone who had been in the Shrieking Shack, placing them in labeled phials, they would get their memories back.

Hermione had arranged for the house elves to bring a cold buffet down to the dungeons for them. After the Aurors had left with Pettigrew, Sirius and Dumbledore, they all fell on the food as if they hadn't eaten in days. Madame Pomfrey was called to heal Ron's leg completely, as Severus had only set it and bound it to his other leg so that they could get him to the castle.

After eating, Harry sat on the sofa and stared at the wall. He didn't notice that Charlie had sat down next to him until he felt an arm around his waist, pulling him into Charlie's body. Harry turned and buried his head in Charlie's shoulder, wrapping his arms around his neck. Charlie whispered to him as he cried, getting out all of the pent up emotions he had been holding back during the questioning. Everyone froze as the sounds of Harry's sobs reached them. No one really knew how to react to this, most of them had never seen Harry cry.

Remus knelt on the floor next to Harry and Charlie and pulled them both into a tight hug. He wanted to comfort Lily and James' son, but didn't want to separate him from Charlie, he knew that Harry needed the comfort of his mate. If things went the way he thought they would, he would have his mate back with him shortly, just as soon as the Aurors were done with him and Dumbledore could bring him back. A thought occurred to him and he rose to pull Severus aside.

"Have you contacted your mate about this?"

"Yes, he was the first fire-call I made, so that he could be at the Ministry when the Aurors arrived with Pettigrew and Black. He'll make sure Black is returned to you today, mark my words. Very few Ministry officials want to deal with him when he's angry and since he'd been kept waiting for several hours, I can guarantee he _**is**_ angry."

Remus shook his head and smiled. "He always was one to have a short fuse on his temper. Do you have the potion? It's tomorrow, you know."

"It's ready and waiting for you in your quarters."

"Thank you, Severus. I don't know what I'd do without your help."

"Have a painful transformation."

"Funny, very fun..."

The fire flared up and Albus Dumbledore entered, followed by Sirius Black. Remus walked over to the man and hugged him tightly. "Welcome back, Padfoot." He let his hand surreptitiously trail down Black's arm to his hand.

"Thanks Moony! Where is he? I want to see Harry; I want to explain who I am and what happened all those years ago." He let his fingers grasp Remus' slightly before moving off in search of his godson. There would be time for emotional reunions later, when there weren't so many people around. He found Harry on the sofa, still in Charlie's arms. He knelt down beside him.

"Harry? I'm sorry for all the excitement earlier. That was the only way I could get to Pettigrew before he could go off and report back to his master."

Harry looked at the disheveled man on the floor. "Who are you? You said you were my godfather when we were in the shack. Are you?"

"I guess I should start at the very beginning, I owe you that much at the very least." Sirius started explaining things to Harry, beginning with the decision to make Peter Pettigrew Lily and James' secret keeper. He went on to tell Harry how he had tried to get Hagrid to give Harry to him the night that his parents died, but that Hagrid had been ordered, by Dumbledore, to take him to his Aunt and Uncle. He finished with the fight with Pettigrew and being thrown into Azkaban without a trial. He ran a hand down Harry's cheek. "Now that I'm seeing you in better light, you look more like Lily. The hair's a little too dark, but the eyes and the freckles, they're pure Lily Evans."

"Actually, I didn't have the freckles and the reddish hair until about two years ago."

"Why?"

"I was blood adopted by the Weasleys after my relatives moved away and left me waiting on Platform 9 3/4. They abandoned me." Sirius' brows drew together and he stood, eyes scanning the room until he saw who he wanted.

"Albus!" The headmaster ended his conversation with Severus and walked to Sirius' side. He didn't notice Severus grab Remus' arm and drag him into a corner to speak with him.

"Yes my boy?"

"Don't 'my boy' me! You told me that Harry had been kept safe at his relatives house. He now tells me that he's been living with the Weasleys for the last two years because the Dursleys abandoned him. He's been blood adopted by them, I'm assuming for his protection. How is Harry being kept safe if his relatives abandon him?"

Everyone could feel the temperature in the room drop. Poppy ushered Ron and Hermione out of the room, telling them to wait in the infirmary for her. She watched Sirius Black carefully, occasionally shooting glances at Severus and Remus. Severus caught one of the glances and nodded cautiously. She quietly made her way over to where the two men stood. "He'll need to feed soon."

Remus looked at her. "He already is. Albus is the perfect person to feed from, he's so disgustingly cheerful that Sirius could feed constantly for days and not completely drain him. It's one of the reasons that Azkaban didn't steal his mind. He could feed off of the other prisoners."

She looked back over at the arguing men. "Did Albus ever figure out what he is?"

"No, and it drove him crazy for years. He's going to start wondering again. I'm sure he's never forgotten the one student whose inheritance stumped him."

"He won't feed from Harry or Charlie, right?"

"No, just like he never fed from me, James, Lily or Severus. We're too close to him for him to risk harming us."

Poppy nodded and continued to watch the two men like a hawk.

~OOooOO~

_**If you can tell me what Sirius Black is, I will credit you with guessing the correct answer in the beginning of the next chapter! The first three with the correct answer will be listed.**_


	19. Chapter 18

_**Kudos to Ken627, Hendrick248848 and Silber Da for being the first three to guess what type of creature Sirius is. Extra special Kudos go to Lovefremione for guessing the exact creature!**_

~OOooOO~

The gathering in Severus' office broke up shortly after Sirius' argument with Albus. Remus led Sirius to his rooms and shoved him in the shower and spelled away his prisoner's uniform.

"As much as I love you, Siri, you stink!"

"I know, Love. That's what happens when you spend the better part of a year on the run." The water turned on and Sirius sighed in appreciation. Remus joined him, after making sure that there were locking spells and wards up on the door to his rooms, and set about making up for lost time. Both had had the opportunity to be with others, but had not taken advantage of that. Remus, because no one could make him feel like Sirius could; Sirius for the same reason and the fact that the prisoners in Azkaban were just disgusting. Fortunately, the water at Hogwarts was magically heated, so they didn't have to deal with being shocked by a burst of cold water. They left the shower and dried themselves off, walking into the sitting area wrapped in robes so that they could talk.

"Tell me about Harry. There's more to this situation than he told me. Granted, we didn't have much time to speak because I picked a fight with Albus, but something's not right. Who is the redhead?"

"That's Charlie Weasley, he's Harry's soul mate."

"Merlin! He's found his soul mate already? Is he a good man? Will he take care of Harry?"

"Yes to all three questions. Charlie Weasley is incredibly honourable, so much so that it's almost scary. In the short time that I've known him, he's been nothing but good to Harry."

"What aren't you telling me, Love. I can feel the anger running through you."

Remus sighed and told Sirius about Dumbledore wanting Harry and Charlie to complete their bond and how they had recruited Minerva to find out what she could. Sirius jumped to his feet and began pacing the floor.

"Has anyone told Harry what Dumbledore wants?"

"No, but he's how we found out. Dumbledore has been talking under his breath whenever he sees Harry, as Harry put it when he talked to Draco 'something about shared magic and getting Charlie to do it now.' We, Severus and I, don't think Harry realizes what he keeps overhearing."

"Does Charlie know?"

"Yes, he and Severus overheard Harry's conversation with Draco. They had seen Draco pull Harry into a room and watched to make sure that they weren't going to kill each other."

"What else aren't you telling me?" Being a psychic vampire, Sirius could tell when there were strong emotions involved with a memory or situation. That was, after all, how he fed.

"Sit, Love, and I'll tell you, but you have to promise me that you won't fly off the handle, not right now anyway."

"Alright, you have my promise." Sirius sat on the sofa next to Remus, who picked up Sirius' hands and held them tightly.

"Harry told Draco that his uncle used to beat him. Harry said that he would beat the bottoms of his feet with a leather strap. I don't think he beat him anywhere else, the memory I watched was from Severus, and Harry said that he would beat him so that there were no marks." He felt Sirius trying to take his hands back, but wouldn't let him. "You promised. We are working on finding them, they moved at some point during Harry's first year here. Once we find them, we'll talk about what to do with them. Until then, there's nothing we can do."

Sirius grit his teeth to keep from saying something he knew he'd regret. He'd just been cleared of all prior charges, basically he had a clean slate. He didn't want to ruin that by finding and killing the muggles who had harmed his godson.

"Alright, then. Once you find them, you and Severus take care of them. I'm not going back to Azkaban. I know I will if I get a hold of them."

"Thank you, Love, for not getting too upset. I know you want to protect Harry, but he may not let you do that until he knows you better."

"Then I'll just have to get to know him better. I've got twelve years to make up for, after all."

~OOooOO~

Harry and Draco went wandering about the castle the next afternoon. Since it was Sunday, they had no classes to attend and no responsibilities for that moment. Harry had been telling Draco about the previous day and everything that had been revealed.

"So, Sirius Black is your godfather and he didn't betray your parents, Peter Pettigrew did. Pettigrew has spent the last twelve years living as a rat to escape being put into Azkaban, but that's where he is now. He'd lived with the Weasleys for at least seven years, first as Percy's pet, then as Ron's. Have I got that so far?"

Harry nodded. "I know it sounds unbelievable, but that's the story in a nutshell. Sirius has been cleared of all charges and is going to be staying here for the rest of the term. I think he and Remus have something going on, but they didn't do anything other than give each other one hug when Dumbledore brought Sirius back."

"Wow! This is just amazing!"

"I know. I also think that Snape knew more than he was telling, he didn't seem surprised that Sirius wasn't guilty." Harry was beginning to think that Snape knew more than he was telling about the current situation with Dumbledore, too. "Let's go find him and see if he'll tell us what's going on with Dumbledore. I want to know what the old man has planned."

Draco headed for the dungeons, Harry following closely behind him. Once they reached Severus' office, Draco gave the password and let himself and Harry in. He had his godfather's permission to come whenever he needed to talk, and this was definitely one of those times. They got closer to the door that led to Severus' personal quarters and stopped when they heard voices.

"Oh, he's got company. Should we knock?" Harry didn't want to interrupt the man if he had a guest.

"Wait...listen! That's not just 'company', he's..." Both boys pressed an ear to the door so that they could hear a little better. What they heard shocked Draco, but confused Harry.

"Ahh, please! Harder, Gods, harder!"

Draco flushed bright red as he realized what he was hearing. He looked at Harry, who just looked confused. "What are they doing?"

Draco looked at Harry, stunned that he couldn't figure out what was going on inside that room. "You really don't know? Charlie's going to have his hands full with you, if you're truly that innocent."

Harry blushed as he finally cottoned on to what was happening behind the door. "You mean that...whoever that is with Snape...they're..." He flushed even brighter as Draco nodded. Suddenly, Draco's head snapped around to stare at the door in horror.

"What's wrong Draco? Draco?"

Draco's voice was barely a whisper. "That's Father's voice!" He placed one hand on the door knob, hesitated for a second, then flung the door open, startling the occupants of Severus' sitting area. Lucius Malfoy's long blonde hair swung as he turned to the door, already ducking down to cover himself, while Severus grabbed his robes and held them strategically in front of his nude body.

Draco made a choked noise deep in his throat then turned and ran from the room, Harry close on his heels. Harry followed him out of the castle, only catching up with him when they reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest. He pulled Draco into his arms as the other boy started to collapse to the ground; Draco was too heavy for Harry to hold upright, so he just held him as they both slid to sit on the grass. Draco's sobs were muffled in Harry's robes as the blonde held on to him. Harry could feel Draco's hands fisting in the front of his robes and started to slowly rock back and forth, comforting his friend.

~OOooOO~

That's where Severus and Lucius found them, several minutes later. Harry shot the two men a nasty look before tightening his arms around Draco and whispering into his ear that his father and godfather were there. Draco refused to look up, burying his head in the bend of Harry's neck.

Lucius knelt next to his son and placed a hand on his back, causing Draco to stiffen and try to draw away. "Please, Draco, I need to talk to you."

"No! How could you? How could you do this to me? To Mother!"

Harry looked up and saw tears rolling down Severus' cheeks. He realized something more than just an extramarital affair was going on. "Draco, maybe you should listen to them. I thinks there's a bunch of stuff that we don't know."

Draco lifted his head and looked at his father. "Alright, what's going on?"

Lucius sat in the grass next to his son and motioned for Severus to do the same. "Harry's right, Draco, there are a lot of things that I need to tell you, things that will change the way you look at me." Lucius took a deep breath. "I suppose I should start by saying that Severus is my soul mate." Draco's eyes went wide. "We have been together since his seventh year. We met when I was in my seventh year and he was in his first. I realized what he would be to me when I first saw him, however, he didn't. I took every chance to see him that I could. I even offered to be an assistant to Minerva, just so that I could be near my soul mate." He looked at Harry. "We didn't have the problems you had because his half of the soul didn't recognize mine until the summer before his seventh year. We bonded in a simple ceremony that we kept a secret from everyone. Things were starting to happen with the Dark Lord, things I wanted nothing to do with, but my father wouldn't hear of my staying neutral."

Severus picked up the tale. "I also wanted nothing to do with him, but the matter was taken out of my hands. I was forced to take the Dark Mark by someone in authority, just so that I could spy for him. Lucius was forced to take it, at the same time, by his father."

Harry looked at him. "Where were your parents? Didn't they care that you were being forced to do something like that?"

"By this time, my mother was dead and my father couldn't have cared less what happened to me. Even though he was a muggle, he thought that my being part of this 'elite' group would bring him wealth. He was one of the first muggles to die by the Dark Lord's hand."

Lucius spoke next. "As I said, we kept our bonding a secret, only four other people knew of it. Lily Evans, James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin."

"Wait! My parents knew you were soul mates?"

"Yes, please let me continue. The ceremony took place the final night here at Hogwarts, in the Head Boy's quarters. Your father offered his room for us that night, so that we could be together before we would be separated. We knew we were playing with fire, but we didn't realize how badly until my father announced my betrothal to Narcissa Black the day after Severus graduated. I was stuck...how could I keep my vows to Severus without endangering either myself or him? We talked about it, had a few spectacular rows before we came to an agreement. I would marry Narcissa, but I wouldn't touch her."

"If you didn't touch her, where the Hell did I come from? The faeries?" Draco was having difficulties accepting what he was being told.

"I'm getting to that point. On the wedding night, Severus met me and we stunned Narcissa. I gave her false memories of a wedding night; since she had been fairly promiscuous before we were betrothed, she wasn't a virgin. Every so often, I would give her more false memories; I couldn't bring myself to touch her. When she began to wonder why she had not become pregnant, I arranged with Severus and Sirius to take her out of the country for a year."

"If you never slept with her, who is my mother? Am I even your son?" Draco began to cry; Harry wrapped his arms around him and began to rock him again.

"Yes, you are indeed my son, but Narcissa Malfoy is not your mother. I gave birth to you. Severus is your other father." Draco's eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted.


	20. Chapter 19

~OOooOO~

Lucius took his son from Harry's arms and cradled him, much as one would an infant or toddler. He hated that Draco had found out like this, but, after having seen he and Severus together, there was no other way. He looked up and met the green gaze of his son's friend. "I didn't want him to find out this way."

"What other way would there have been? You've kept it a secret for this long, did you think you could just come out and tell him and get a better result?" Harry was upset on Draco's behalf, since his friend was still unconscious. "When were you going to tell him? Were you even _**going**_ to tell him?"

"We would have told him eventually, as soon as things were a little more settled with the Death Eaters. I don't know when that would have been, but yes, we would have told him."

"It's going to take a little while before he accepts this, you know. He's not just going to say 'Oh, well, that's alright.' He's going to be upset for a while."

Severus sighed. "We know he's going to hate us for a while for keeping this from him. I can only hope he'll eventually accept it."

Harry looked at his potions professor and, seeing the pain in his eyes, wanted to give him some small comfort. "He will...eventually. You need to tell him everything, though. I'm pretty sure there's more that you left out because I'm here. Take him back to the castle with you and explain everything when he wakes up. Give him a chance to ask questions, too."

Lucius gazed at Harry, his expression one of surprise. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. I'm sure that you have more questions about your parents' roles in this, but I would appreciate it if they could wait until Draco has had a chance to hear everything from us."

"I'll wait. I want to talk to Charlie and Sirius about our bond issues, so I'd better go find them."

Severus and Lucius watched the teen walk away. "One day he's going to be a force to be reckoned with and I don't think that day is too far in the future."

~OOooOO~

As Sirius and Remus were having a quiet lunch, a knock sounded on the door. Remus got up to answer it and was surprised to see Charlie on the other side. "What can we do for you, Charlie?" He stood back so that Charlie could enter the room.

"I need to run something past you both before speaking with Harry about it."

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing's wrong, not yet anyway, but something will be later on, if we don't change the blood adoption."

"You're talking about him being partially related to you?"

Charlie nodded. "My parents are going to fight it, but I'm just not comfortable thinking about Harry continuing with the blood adoption to my mum. It makes us almost half brothers and, once Harry is old enough to think of me in a sexual manner, it will bring up some disturbing questions that I'd rather Harry didn't have to ask." He looked up at Sirius. "You're his godfather. Are you planning on getting to know him?"

"I'm going to try to get as close to him as I can. He had an awful lot thrown at him yesterday and he may need to think about all of that first." He paused and tilted his head slightly. "I'll be honest with you...Lily and James' will specified that he was not to go to the Dursleys. I don't know how he ended up there, but he was supposed to go to Augusta Longbottom if Remus and I were unable to raise him."

"Dumbledore sent him there. He seems to have thought that he had Harry's best interests at heart, but I'm really not too sure of his mental stability right now. He's gotten really weird over the last year."

"When you say 'weird', what do you mean?"

"He keeps muttering under his breath when he sees either me or Harry; it gets worse if we're together. He's taken an unhealthy interest in what goes on between us and seems to show up wherever we are. Severus had talked with me about compulsion spells to repel any sexual interest between me and Harry, I think I'm going to have him explain them in more detail to both of us. Harry needs to know what Dumbledore is plotting; Severus and I know because we overheard Harry talking to Draco Malfoy about it."

"Remus told me about it and it bothers me as well. I'm not really sure I want Harry anywhere near Albus when he's by himself."

Remus thought for a moment. "The compulsion spells that Severus was talking about are a good idea. The spells are meant to deflect any sexual interest between two people. They used to be used when a girl had a particularly ardent suitor; they would cause any sexual intent to go away immediately when the two came near each other. The only way for the spells to be removed is for the caster to remove them."

"Back to the adoption...do you think that Harry would allow you two to adopt him? I don't think he'd mind it, but it would also mean that he'd have to live with you, instead of at the Burrow. I know he enjoys it there, but without the blood wards, he'd have very little protection."

Sirius let out a rough bark of laughter. "Who told you that? Let me guess, Albus' great idea again. Blood wards are useless unless all of the people with the blood ties are living together in the same place. The use of blood wards is outdated and potentially dangerous, not to mention the fact that there are more useful wards that can be found in other countries. My grandparents brought in someone from Gringotts to set their wards...not sure where the wards came from, but I think some of them were from Italy and Egypt."

"Bill set up some Egyptian wards that he had found in one or two of the pyramids when Harry first came to live at the Burrow."

"Those wards, plus some I can find at my family's home in London, should make your house and grounds practically impenetrable. I'll look into that for you." Sirius reached for Remus' hand and laced their fingers together. "I would love it if Harry came to live with us over the holidays, but that's up to him. I won't force anything on him, especially since he really doesn't know me all that well yet."

Another knock came on the door and, once more, Remus got up to answer it. Harry walked into the room and looked at the three men. "Oh good, you're all here." He looked at Charlie as if gauging what his response might be to his questions. "Charlie, do you think Mum and Dad would be offended if Sirius and Remus blood adopted me?"

Charlie was startled, he had expected that he would have to broach the subject with Harry, not the other way around. "Actually, we were just discussing that. What have you thought of?"

"Well," Harry sat on the back of the sofa, so that he could see all of them, "I've given it some thought and wondered, with the blood from Mum, wouldn't that make us too closely related, for whenever we do complete our bond? I don't like the idea that there might be problems later on."

Sirius was stunned that a thirteen year old boy would think of something like that. He expected it from Charlie, Remus and himself, but Harry was still a child. "That's exactly what we were talking about. Would it bother you if we wanted to adopt you?"

Harry shook his head. "No, that's why I'm asking."

"But, Harry, you barely know us." Remus wasn't trying to talk Harry out of it, he just wanted him to be aware of everything that would change.

"I know you well enough, Professor. I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't be with someone who might have it in them to be a murderer."

Remus' jaw dropped. "How did you know that we're together?" He had never mentioned anything about his relationship with Sirius around Harry.

"The feeling I get when I'm around you two. It's a really nice, calming feeling, like two people who have spent their lives together. I know you're a werewolf and you, Sirius, are also something, but I can't figure it out. I don't get a bad feeling from you, just one that tells me that you are powerful. I really don't know you all that well, but I don't think my parents would have trusted you to be my godfather if you were a bad person."

Sirius sat back in his chair and stared at Harry. "Merlin! You're thirteen years old and you're thinking like this? You're going to be dangerous when you're older!"

Harry smirked slightly. "If you let me think about something long enough, I'm dangerous now."

The three older men laughed and began to discuss the blood adoption in a little more detail, now that they knew Harry was willing. Harry joined the lively discussion and a plan began to form.


	21. Chapter 20

~OOooOO~

Charlie had been right in saying that his parents would fight removing the blood adoption. Molly argued long and hard about it, occasionally trying to get Arthur to join in on the argument, but he wanted nothing to do with the battle. He knew why Charlie and Harry were fighting to get it changed and he agreed with them. The blood from Molly would make their relationship too close, resulting in an odd form of in-breeding. He didn't want that for either of his sons. Seeing Molly stop to breathe for a moment, he looked at Charlie and asked one question.

"Are you asking because Sirius asked you to? I know he's been cleared and that he's Harry's godfather, but he barely knows the boy."

Charlie shook his head. "No, that's not why we wanted to talk about this. With Harry carrying Mum's blood, that makes us almost half brothers. Not now, but later on it's going to cause problems."

Molly's eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh Merlin! I never thought of that!" She turned to look at Sirius and Remus. "Is that why you're asking?"

Remus nodded. "Yes. Right now it's not a problem, but in a few years it will be. I think it's best if the adoption is removed now and changed to Sirius. The blood wards aren't a problem, they're not as strong as some of the wards on Sirius' home in Grimmauld Place in London. With the Egyptian wards that Charlie told us are already in place here, and a few more that are on the house in London, the Burrow should be as safe as it can get. If the wards are set around the perimeter of the property, it should be impenetrable."

Arthur leaned forward. "I will agree, with some conditions."

Sirius nodded, this man had raised his godson for the last two years, he wasn't going to upset him now. "What are the conditions?"

"One, that Harry continue to live with us for at least one more year. He can visit with you as often as you'd like, but he lives with us. Two, you sit him down and tell him everything he needs to know about his parents and yourselves. He knows very little and we know even less. We have some things that were his mother's, I would like for you to take them with you, so that you can tell Harry about them. Three, as you two are mates, maybe you can explain more to both Harry and Charlie, so that they understand the bond that they have."

Remus agreed, as did Sirius. "Those are all fair conditions. I think it would be easiest if we took Harry to Gringotts this upcoming weekend. They are the only ones who can remove the current adoption. I have the feeling that we will also need to have them perform the new one. James and I were distant cousins, so the blood connection will be a bit stronger. Harry might have more of a reaction to my blood than the reaction Charlie told me he had to yours." Arthur nodded and looked at Molly. She had tears in her eyes and was struggling not to let them flow.

"Mum?" a quiet voice spoke from the corner of the room. "I'm not going to stop calling you that, you know. You're the closest I've had to a mother since I was one year old. You'll still be my Mum, even though the blood won't be there anymore." The tears Molly had been holding back ran down her cheeks as her youngest son walked over and put his arms around her. She knew she wasn't really losing Harry, but she'd only had two years with him as her son...she wanted a lifetime more.

"I know, Harry, I know, but it's hard for me to let you go."

"I'm not going anywhere...Dad said that I'm going to stay with you for another year and Sirius and Remus agreed. Besides, you don't have to let go, I'll still be your son." A tear found its way down Harry's cheek as he tried to comfort the woman who had comforted him for the last two years.

~OOooOO~

That night a meeting was held in Remus' rooms. All of the Weasleys, including Bill, were present as well as Hermione, Draco, Lucius and Severus. Draco seemed to want to stay close to his father and Harry hoped that everything had been explained. He hadn't seen Draco for two days; Severus had told him that they were all staying in his quarters, asking and answering questions. (He had told Charlie about what they had interrupted and Charlie had explained about what he had heard, blushing the entire time.) All of the Weasley children had been informed that something was going to happen with the adoption, but weren't told what.

Charlie decided to speak first. "Everyone in this room knows that Harry and I are soul mates. Since Harry is a little older now, and able to have some input on things affecting his life, we sat down with Sirius, Remus, Mum and Dad to discuss the blood adoption. Later on, when we're ready for the bond to be completed, the adoption, as it stands, is going to cause problems."

Hermione gasped and Bill's face twisted into a look of disgust. "You mean incest." Charlie looked at his brother and nodded. "Alright, so what happens now?"

"Well, first thing we do is get the blood adoption from Mum removed. After that, Sirius will adopt Harry. Sirius explained to us that the blood wards are essentially useless unless...how did you put it?" Charlie turned to Sirius.

"Unless everyone involved with the blood bond is alive and living in the same house, blood wards are useless. That would mean that Lily and James would have to be alive for them to work. Since they're not, blood wards are about as useful as tits on a bull. We would need to set up some more wards around the Burrow, but between Bill Weasley and me, I think we'll have that covered." He looked at Bill who nodded in agreement.

Hermione's nose scrunched in confusion. "But if you're going to blood adopt Harry, doesn't that mean he'll have to live with you?"

"No. As long as the wards at the Burrow are the strongest we can find, he'll be living there. We don't know each other well enough to live in the same house yet. I need to get to know him and he needs to get to know me. I may be his godfather, but, until the other day, I hadn't seen him since he was one. I don't want him feeling resentful toward me and I'm not sure that I'm ready to take on the role of parent yet. He's happy living at the Burrow and I think that Remy and I will be spending quite a lot of time there, getting to know Harry and the rest of his family."

Harry had just one question. "Is my name going to change again?"

The adults all looked at each other and let Sirius answer again. "Legally yes, your name will change. For everyone else, I think we'll let them think that the blood adoption with the Weasleys still stands. We'll explain everything to you after everyone's left, alright?" Harry agreed, but thought of another thing or two.

"What if my appearance changes so much that I don't look much like me anymore? I've got the freckles and reddish hair, but what if that goes away? How do we explain that?"

Remus answered. "The Leaving Feast is tomorrow, after that, you're on summer holidays. No one's going to expect you to look the same when you come back to Hogwarts next term. It will explain away any changes in your appearance. Besides, you would have changed anyway as you grew, this will just make it happen a little more quickly."

After Arthur told everyone to keep this information to themselves, they seemed to run out of questions, so all of the younger Weasley children plus Hermione and Draco left. Sirius had asked that the adults and Harry stay so that some more things could be discussed. They moved some furniture so that there were plenty of seats, all facing each other.

Charlie stood and looked at Harry. "You asked me earlier about why we would be keeping the change a secret. There are some things that you have heard, but didn't know what they meant. Do you remember when you spoke to Draco about your childhood?" Harry nodded. "Severus and I overheard that conversation; we also heard something that scared the daylights out of us. You said that you had heard the headmaster muttering under his breath about you and me and getting me to do it now. Do you remember saying that?"

"Yeah, I still don't know what he was going on about, but it's gotten worse. He seems to be following me now." He watched as most of the adults stiffened in outrage. "What? What is it?"

"Bambi, we're worried about your safety." Sirius now knew that this was far more dangerous than they had thought.

"Bambi?"

Remus chuckled. "Yes...have you ever seen the muggle movie 'Bambi'?" Harry nodded. "The main character is a baby deer named Bambi; his father was a stag. Your father's animagus form was a stag, and from what I saw, so is your patronus. So, you are Bambi."

Harry smiled...this was another connection to the parents he didn't remember. He was happy about that, even though he was a little embarrassed by the nickname. "Alright, so what did I overhear the headmaster saying?"

"Harry, he was talking about forcing me to complete the bond now, so that we can share magic." Charlie watched the expression on Harry's face go from confused to horrified. He now knew that they had been right to keep this from him until now. When Harry had had the original conversation with Draco, he had been a little more innocent than he was now. With what had happened with Lucius and Severus, some of that innocence was gone. Charlie was sad to see it go, but, in the long run, it would make things easier on Harry.

"That is _**not**_ going to happen! I'm not ready for...for..._**that**_!" Harry flushed brightly, trying to keep his anger at the headmaster under control. The tea cups on the table began to rattle in their saucers as he fought with his temper. Charlie placed a hand on his arm and the rattling stopped. Harry caught his eyes and, for the first time since the beginning of the term, used their mind link.

_'He can't force us, can he? I'm not ready for that!'_

_'No, but he's going to try. That's why we want to keep the change of adoption a secret. He won't push too hard if he thinks that the close blood connection is still there.'_

_'But he'll try? That's just sick! Is he crazy?'_ Harry shook his head trying to rid himself of the thought.

_'Yes, Harry, he is crazy. At least we think so; some of the things he's doing, like watching us and following you, make us think that he is.'_

Sirius, Bill, Molly and Arthur didn't know about Charlie's ability to 'speak' to Harry through their mind link, so Remus explained it to them. "It's part of the soul bond. Some soul mates are able to speak to each other through a mind link. They can also sense each other's feelings and emotions. Charlie knows if Harry's in danger or worried about something, and Harry knows the same about Charlie. Since they can communicate with each other, neither one has to rush to get to the other if the situation doesn't warrant it."

"Are all soul mates able to communicate like this?" Arthur was fascinated by the silent conversation his two sons were having with each other.

"No, not all soul mates have that ability." Lucius stepped forward. "Severus and I are unable to converse, but we feel each other's emotions. I think that Harry and Charlie's bond is slightly different from ours. Theirs is a little more in-depth, allowing the communication."

Charlie looked at Severus. "You had mentioned repulsion spells. Can you explain them now?"

Severus had everyone sit so that he would have their complete attention. Charlie felt like he was back in potions class. "A repulsion spell is a form of compulsion spell that keeps two individuals from acting on feelings of lust or sexual attraction. They will overpower a compulsion spell placed on one or both of those individuals at a later time. In this case, knowing that the Headmaster is following Harry, I think their use is warranted and, indeed, necessary. I or someone else would cast the spells on them. Once placed, the spells can only be lifted by the caster."

Harry's forehead furrowed as he thought. "But, what if something happened to you? What would happen with the spells?"

Severus' face went blank for a moment and then he frowned. "The spells would become permanent."

Bill looked at Charlie and Harry, then back at Severus. "That wouldn't work too well for them, would it? What if they cast the spells on each other? Since they're the ones most at risk for compulsion spells, wouldn't it make sense to have them be the casters? Dumbledore isn't going to risk harming either one of them before he finishes whatever plan he's hatching. He might, however, see someone else as a hindrance to his plan and try to kill them. If so, anyone _**but**_ Harry and Charlie casting the spells will be putting themselves and the bond at risk."

Severus nodded in agreement. "I believe that you are correct William. It might be best to do it that way, so that, when the time comes, you would each lift the spell you placed on the other. If you come with me when we leave here, I have the book we will need in my personal library. You can cast the spells there."

"Would the change in the adoption change the spell? If it would, maybe we should wait until after the new adoption takes place." Charlie was trying to think of and point out any loopholes there might be with the spells.

"That shouldn't matter, but I can meet you back at the Burrow after the adoption. That way, there won't be any doubt that they will work properly."

"I'll still be able to comfort Harry, though, won't I? As long as the feelings aren't sexual in nature, I should still be able to hold him if he needs it, right?"

"Yes, that won't be affected, only the intent to consummate your bond will be repulsed." He looked at Harry. "You will be fourteen this summer, correct?"

"Yes, sir. I turn fourteen on the 31st of July."

"From that point, it will only be two years before you are of legal age to consummate your bond. I think that just those spells should be enough of a deterrent for any thoughts of sex between the two of you. There is also the fact that, as you have said, you are not ready for that step yet. I don't honestly think that the spells are necessary for you two, but they are for those who would try to use you."

A yawn from Harry ended the meeting. After bidding his parents and brother good-bye, Charlie walked Harry to Gryffindor Tower. "Put up a ward to warn you if anyone comes near your bed tonight and sleep with your wand under your pillow. If I could, I would stay with you, but, knowing my luck, McGonagall would find me." He gave Harry a quick hug and stepped away. "Use the link if anything happens, alright?"

Harry nodded and climbed through the portrait hole.


	22. Chapter 21

~OOooOO~

The night passed without incident. Unbeknownst to Harry, Ron, Draco and Hermione had all decided that something was really wrong and they would take turns watching over Harry. Draco spoke with his fathers and Lucius agreed, as long as Draco didn't come back to their rooms via the hallways; he would use the inside floo system to get from Harry's dorm back to their rooms. Draco took the first shift, followed by Hermione and then Ron.

The next morning was spent making sure all their things were in their trunks. Harry was going back to the Burrow with the rest of the Weasleys and then, in three days, he, Charlie, Molly and Arthur would be meeting Sirius and Remus at Gringotts. Sirius was going to go the next morning and arrange everything with the goblins, so that they wouldn't have to explain anything once they arrived. They knew they could trust Gringotts, the goblins bore no love for Albus Dumbledore.

Charlie sat next to Harry at the Leaving Feast, directly in the headmaster's line of sight. He would get hit first if any spells came their way. Fortunately, nothing happened and all of the students left for the train. Draco, Ron, Hermione and the twins rode with Harry in one carriage, making for very little space in between them. Harry knew what they were doing, but it was starting to annoy him to no end.

"Hermione, if you don't get your arm off of me, I'm going to sit on the floor!"

She huffed, but removed her arm from around his waist. "We're just trying to protect you Harry, you know that."

His expression softened. "I know, and I do appreciate it, but it's really starting to get on my nerves. He's not going to try anything with so many people around. The only time I think I have to be worried is if he catches me by myself."

Draco looked at Harry. "You'll write to me, won't you? I'm not sure what's going to happen at home now." He looked so lost that Harry impulsively hugged him.

"I'll write, but if you need to, you can always fire-call me at the Burrow. Ron will be there, too, so you can talk to him, even if he doesn't know everything I do." Draco looked at Ron who nodded back at him.

"Yeah Draco, we may not have gotten along too well at first, but I think we'll be alright. You've been a really good friend to my brother this year and it means a lot to him." Draco ducked his head so that no one could see how much Ron's words affected him. He felt a hand on his arm and looked up at Hermione.

"You can always fire-call me, too. We all need to be friends if things are going to get bad. One of us may hear something that the others don't. I hate to say this, but you will be the one most likely to hear it."

Draco agreed with her. If the Dark Lord was going to try to return, like his father thought, Draco would be the _**only**_ one of them to hear anything about it. He made a mental note to speak with his fathers about telling him if something would affect Harry, so that he could get word to him.

They arrived at the train, where they were met by Sirius. He had told Charlie and Remus that he would be taking the train with Harry. He also wanted to get some time alone with his godson, so that they could talk more and start working on having a good relationship. He found an empty compartment that was large enough for all of them and set about making them comfortable with him by telling them about some of the more spectacular pranks that he had had a hand in when he was at Hogwarts with Harry's father and Remus.

Draco had begun to distance himself from his old friends when his father had explained everything to him. He could now see how being friends with Crabbe and Goyle was not a good thing. They would do anything any older Slytherin told them to and they really didn't care about the consequences. They hadn't seemed to get the idea, though, and came to find him once the train started moving.

"Draco, what are you doing with the Gryffindorks?" Crabbe bunched his fists up and hunched his shoulders, trying to make himself look more imposing than normal.

Sirius stood, towering over Crabbe and Goyle. "Watch what you say, boys. My name's Sirius Black, and you are...?" He held out a hand to the two Slytherins and watched as they backed away from him in fear. "Is something wrong? Hey! Where are you going?" His words followed the two as they turned tail and ran back up the length of the train. The entire compartment broke up laughing, and Sirius could actually say he had done nothing but be polite.

~OOooOO~

Saturday morning dawned bright and cheerful. Harry rolled out of bed, taking his time before putting his feet on the floor. The pain kept diminishing, but sometimes it still hurt to stand up first thing. He found Ron watching him carefully and tried to avoid his eyes.

"You want to tell me why you don't get up right away? I know there's something wrong with your feet, but you don't seem to have a problem later on in the day."

Harry sighed and began to explain the treatment he had received at his relatives' house. As he spoke, he watched Ron's eyes go wide, then narrow in anger and move on to something resembling sorrow. "How could someone do that to a child? How could anyone do that?"

"Uncle Vernon thought that he could beat the 'freakishness' out of me that way. He didn't want to leave marks that would alert Child Services that something was going on. Aunt Petunia didn't do anything to me, but she never stopped him either. Dudley's job was to make me as miserable as possible with the occasional thrashing thrown in." He watched as a couple of tears found their way down Ron's cheeks. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's not that...you're one of the nicest people, how could someone do that to you?"

Harry shrugged, not really knowing how to answer. No one had ever asked him something like that before and it struck him as odd. Why had no one ever questioned what went on at the Dursley's before? None of the teachers at his primary school had ever asked if everything was alright. They took the Dursleys' words at face value and went about their business. Charlie was the first person to question what went on, the first person to care enough to ask how his former home life had been. Harry looked up at Ron, confusion on his face. "I don't know."

Harry slowly got out of bed, the pain wasn't that bad today. He went to the loo and took a shower, so that he would be ready when they left for Gringotts. He was quiet as he and Ron went down for breakfast, still lost in his thoughts. Charlie noticed and pulled him aside.

"Are you alright Harry? You seem awfully quiet this morning."

Harry looked up at Charlie and sighed. "I'm not sure. Ron asked me a question that I didn't know how to answer and now I can't get it out of my mind."

"What did he ask?"

"Why someone would beat a child the way my uncle did me?"

Charlie inhaled audibly. Of all the questions Ron could have asked, it would be one that absolutely no one had a good answer for. "I don't know Harry. Some people are just evil like that...there's something wrong with them that makes them do that to other people. I know it's not a good answer, but it's the only thing I can think of that might explain it."

Harry nodded slightly. "So it was something wrong with Uncle Vernon and not me...right?" The pain in the intense green eyes that stared up at Charlie took his breath away.

"No, Harry, it wasn't you. You were a child, you did nothing to deserve that. There's something wrong with your uncle, not you." He knew he had given the right answer when the pain changed to pure trust. Harry was trusting him with his life, with everything he was; he wouldn't betray that trust. Harry smiled and let Charlie lead him into the kitchen for breakfast.


	23. Chapter 22

~OOooOO~

They all met Sirius and Remus at Gringotts and were ushered into a large private room. There was a cot off to one side of the room and a large table in the centre. On it were several implements, including a bowl and a knife almost identical to the ones Snape had used for the first adoption. Harry remembered the first adoption and how much it had hurt before he had passed out; he was starting to feel worried about this, Sirius had said that it might hurt more.

Several goblins filed into the room and the process started. He was given a potion for the removal of the first adoption. He felt a little odd, as if he could feel himself shrinking slightly; but it didn't hurt.

Then came the second adoption. Once the potion had been slipped into his arm, he felt a burning in his veins; it felt as if he was on fire, from the inside out. It was far worse than the first adoption had been. Charlie was holding him again, but this time he had to struggle to hold on to Harry. Once Harry had passed into unconsciousness, everyone gathered around him to watch the changes take place.

Sirius noticed the first change and, after that, they all happened fairly quickly. His hair changed, it became wavy, almost curly. His body began to change and everyone was glad that Harry was unconscious. Charlie watched as his legs and body began to noticeably lengthen; it appeared that Harry was going to be rather tall, compared to his height before. His shoulders became more broad and he filled out a little more. His face lost a lot of its roundness and became more angular, his cheekbones became more prominent. Harry ceased looking like James Potter and began to look more like a combination of Sirius Black and Lily Evans Potter. Charlie was happy to see that Harry had retained the freckles, but was concerned that his eyes would no longer be the green that he loved.

Charlie laid him down on the cot as he stepped up to the table to be a witness for the signing of the adoption papers. Harry James Weasley-Potter was now Harry James Potter-Black. Sirius had written a will naming Harry as his heir; should anything happen to Sirius before Harry turned seventeen, Remus would share custody of Harry with Molly and Arthur. It had all been agreed upon before this meeting, so that there would be no surprises. Sirius moved aside with one of the goblins to make certain that everything was done properly while everyone else moved back over to Harry's cot.

Charlie sat on the floor, his back to the cot, holding Harry's hand over his left shoulder; he was the first to know that Harry had started to awaken. He swiftly turned and came up onto his knees next to his soul mate; he wanted to see those eyes. Harry's eyelids fluttered and slowly opened. Charlie looked into his eyes. Yes, they were still bright green, but now there was a ring of grey around the outside of his iris; it made his eyes stand out more and he wondered how he was going to keep everyone away from this beautiful creature.

"Charlie?" Harry moaned slightly as he tried to turn on his side. Charlie helped him and took the mirror that his mother had transfigured from one of the books lying on the table next to the cot. Harry was stunned when he looked at himself for the first time. "Sirius! I look like you." He suddenly realized that he could see without his glasses. "I can see!" He looked at Charlie and smiled. "I can see!"

Sirius walked over and gasped slightly. He wanted to cry. Staring back at him, with Lily's eyes, was his brother Regulus. He sat on the floor next to Charlie and cupped Harry's cheek in his palm. "You look like Regulus, my brother." A few tears slipped down his cheeks as Remus' arms came around him from behind. "He was killed when he tried to renounce his belief in Voldemort. You look so much like he did at your age, just with freckles and green eyes." Sirius leaned back into his mate's chest. "We never found his body, so my family was never able to finish grieving for him. You picked one hell of a Black to look like Harry. Once he realized that what he had been doing was wrong, he tried to get out. He even went to Lucius to see if there was a way. There wasn't one; if you were a Death Eater, you were in it until you died or Voldemort decided that you were no longer useful. Once Voldemort found out that he didn't want to be a Death Eater anymore, Regulus lost his usefulness." He held on to his tears as Harry's arms wound around his neck to pull him into a tight hug.

~OOooOO~

Lucius, Draco and Severus were waiting for them outside of the Burrow, along with the rest of the Weasleys, when they returned from Gringotts. Ron stared at his best mate and brother for a long time. Harry just looked back, waiting for Ron; he knew that this change would make or break their relationship. Ron walked forward and wrapped his arms around Harry.

"I can honestly say that this is a good look for you, brother mine." He smiled at Harry and slung an arm around his waist. He couldn't quite get his arm over his shoulders because Harry was now taller than he was by about two inches.

Draco also put an arm around his waist and sighed dramatically. "It's too bad I'm not into guys, Harry, or Charlie would be in for the fight of his life." They all laughed as they trooped into the house. Severus immediately pulled Harry and Charlie into the sitting room so that they could cast the repulsion spells on each other.

"You will need this more then ever now, Harry. With the way you now look, you will be even more of a target for the headmaster's plots. Repeat after me Charlie, 'Attractio Finem Veneris ad Charlie Weasley'. (1)

Charlie repeated the phrase several times so that he got the wording and pronunciation correct. By the time he had cast the spell on Harry, Harry was ready to cast the spell on him. "Attractio Finem Veneris ad Harry Potter-Black." They both glowed red for a moment, then the glow dissipated.

"There's no real way to test this spell until someone casts a compulsion spell on one of you. I'm not willing to do that right now. Maybe once the spell has had time to settle down, later in the summer, but for right now, you should both be safe." He turned to Sirius and Bill. "Do you know which wards you are putting up, in place of the blood wards?" Both men nodded. "Let's do that now. The moment that the adoption ended, the blood wards became useless for anything." The three headed outside with Lucius trailing behind.

Charlie looked at Harry and smiled. "I hope that this works. I really don't want to have to test this spell."

"I don't either. I'm nowhere near ready to complete our bond. I'm too young and I'm afraid of what it would do to both of us, with me being so young."

Sirius stood in the doorway, watching the two. He leaned in to speak with Remus. "I hope that Albus doesn't try anything. He's going to be in a deep pile of shite if he does. He doesn't know it, but he's got the entire Weasley family, you, me, Severus, Lucius, Draco and the goblins against him, in addition to Harry and Charlie. If he tries anything, he'll either be dead or ruined financially; either way, he'll be discredited in the eyes of everyone who looks up to him. I hope he's not truly insane enough to do anything."

"Me too, Padfoot, me too."

~OOooOO~

_**Attractio Finem Veneris ad**_- end sexual attraction to (Latin)


	24. Chapter 23

~OOooOO~

Arthur had won tickets to the Quidditch World Cup. He made plans with Sirius, Remus and Lucius to take everyone and sit in the same area. Lucius had told them of a plan to terrorize the people attending the game and the muggles living nearby. He was going to have to go along with it, but he was going to cause some commotion and sneak away. He knew that the time for Voldemort's return was fast approaching and he needed to do something to ensure that Harry was kept far away from any and all true Death Eaters.

Ireland won the game and everyone gathered around the area from where they were to portkey back to the Burrow. They had originally planned on staying overnight, on the grounds, but Lucius had talked them out of it, citing the dangers. Harry saw the Dark Mark being projected into the sky and was grabbed by Charlie. "We're apparating...Dad's got Hermione and Ginny, Bill's got Ron and Sirius and Remus have the twins."

"What about Percy?" The noise and crowds were getting closer.

"He's gone already, now hold on!" Charlie wrapped his arms around Harry's waist, concentrated and turned in place. Harry felt the sensation of being sucked through a straw again and then...they were at the Burrow. Right behind him appeared Arthur with Hermione and Ginny, Bill with Ron, Sirius with Fred and Remus with George. Percy was standing just inside the door talking to Molly; she saw them and headed out to hug them all tightly.

"Oh! When Percy told me what was happening, I was so worried!" Lucius Malfoy appeared behind her, shaking and bleeding, being supported by Severus and Draco. Molly turned around and began to heal what she could see as Severus lowered Lucius to the ground. "Severus, get Poppy, we need a complete scan done to see if there's internal damage." Severus strode into the house to take the floo directly to the Infirmary. Several minutes later he returned with Poppy and Albus. The look on his face stated clearly that he had tried to get rid of the headmaster, but had been unable to do so.

Sirius moved to stand next to Harry, blocking Albus from seeing Harry. Charlie also moved slightly, so that Harry was basically in between them; when Remus joined them, it almost created a circle of protection around the teen. Draco was kneeling on the ground next to his father, holding his hand as Poppy scanned Lucius.

"Just cuts and scrapes...no real damage except for this cut on your arm. Hold still while I heal it, so that there'll be no scar." As she healed the various cuts, Albus moved away to speak with Arthur, no doubt asking him what had happened. As slowly as she could, Hermione took Ginny's arm and walked away from the headmaster. She headed over to Ron, standing with Bill and the twins. They wanted to keep as much attention off of Harry as possible, so they began to go over what had happened during the game in excited voices. Albus finished speaking with Arthur and headed over to where Bill was with the other Weasley children. Charlie saw him looking around for Harry and put his arm around Harry's shoulders and picked him up. "Pretend that you're tired. I'm going to take you in the house, so that he doesn't see you." Harry nodded and buried his face in Charlie's chest. He walked toward the house, explaining loudly to Molly as he went. "Harry's tired, all the excitement I guess. I'm just going to take him inside and have him rest." He moved to go inside the house, but was stopped by Albus' hand on his arm.

"I would like to speak with Harry, if you don't mind."

Charlie barely kept from flinching away from the older man's hand. "Actually, sir, he's already asleep. I'm sorry, I'm not waking him up for anybody...not even you. The new term starts in a few days, so you can speak with him then. He needs to rest now." Charlie turned his back on the ageing headmaster and walked into the house, shutting the door behind him.

He could hear raised voices from outside the door and surreptitiously opened the kitchen window so that he and Harry could hear the argument. "What do you mean, Albus? If Harry is tired, let the boy sleep; Merlin knows that we all get little enough of it as it is." Severus' voice.

"I just wished to speak with the boy about my expectations of him this year. He needs to buckle down and work on certain things if you are correct in that Voldemort will stage his return this year." Gasps could be heard from everyone.

"_**WHAT?**_ You're expecting a fourteen year old boy to save your arse from one of the most evil, vile things that has ever breathed air? You have got to be out of your mind! I refuse to allow my godson to take part in any hair-brained scheme you've come up with!"

"Kindly keep your comments to yourself Sirius. You are not his guardian."

"No, but I _**am**_ his guardian, and I refuse to allow that as well. Sirius is his godfather and I have given him the right to have a say in what happens in Harry's life." Arthur was just as firm as Sirius, though in a nicer way.

There was the loud crack of someone apparating out of the garden and everyone began to slowly file into the house. They all took seats in the sitting room, the children sitting on the floor. Lucius looked up at everyone from the armchair he was lounging in. "He's right, though...the Dark Lord is planning his return for this year. We all need to be wary of compulsion spells and the Imperius Curse." He looked at Severus. "I need to speak with the Board of Governors about taking over the Defence Against the Dark Arts position. As of Friday, they had not appointed an instructor. I'm going there now; Draco, please stay with Severus until I return for you." He walked back out of the house and disapparated.

Everyone was quiet as Molly prepared enough food for them all. They were all waiting to see what news Lucius would bring back with him from the Ministry. Just as they were getting ready to eat, they all heard the sound of someone apparating into the garden and pulled out their wands. There came a knock on the door and Arthur opened it to allow Lucius to enter, a rather large smile on his face. They all looked at him eagerly.

"You are looking at the newest Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor. Once I let them know how Albus had behaved today, they were eager to have one of their own on the inside of the school. I was told to keep a close eye on the headmaster and if any more irregularities are noticed, Albus will be removed and Minerva installed as headmistress. We know she will side with us on this, so she must be told about the Board's decree."

Severus agreed. "She is our eyes and ears when it comes to the old fool. I'm not downplaying the seriousness of the situation, but he _**is**_ an old fool if he thinks we're just going to sit back and let him send Harry into some suicide mission. We have heard about his manipulations to allow the Tri-Wizard Tournament to be held again at Hogwarts."

The room exploded with curses and yelling as all of the adults recognized the name of the deadly tournament. Only Charlie didn't say anything, he just pulled Harry closer to him and held him tightly. Into a lull, Charlie finally said something. "He's going to try to get Harry to participate, isn't he?"

Lucius nodded. "I'm almost certain he will. Unfortunately for him, the age restriction is seventeen; no one younger may participate."

"Is there a way to bypass the rules? We need to think of everything before he can act on it."

"To my knowledge, there is no way around the rules. I am one of the Governors that is setting up the Goblet of Fire and I will make certain that no one under the age of seventeen is allowed to enter their name."

"But what if someone seventeen or older puts in my name? What happens then?"

"I will include in the set-up a list of Hogwarts students that will be old enough to enter. If their name doesn't appear on that list, they cannot enter. I'll make certain of it."

~OOooOO~

Every student was excited beyond belief that day. It was the day that the Tri-Wizard Tournament champions were going to be picked. Harry had been over everything with Lucius and Charlie first thing that morning. Lucius was almost certain that no one under seventeen could be entered; he had made the list he spoke of a part of the instructions for the Goblet of Fire. They waited with bated breath as the names of three champions were spat out of the Goblet, one by one. As each proved to be someone other than Harry, they were relieved. They were even more relieved when the blue flames in the Goblet died down and went out completely after Viktor Krum's name was read. Dumbledore watched the cup closely for a few moments but, when nothing else happened, he sighed and ushered the champions out of the room.

The Great Hall cleared out rapidly after that and Harry quickly ran up to Charlie and Lucius, hugging Lucius tightly and then moved on to Charlie. "It worked! Did you see him waiting to see if another name came out? He was expecting my name to come out of the Goblet."

Minerva walked up to them and pulled all three aside. "How did you get the cup to keep from accepting Harry's name? I know he put it in there."

"I added a list of seventeen year old students when we were setting up the instructions for the Goblet to follow. If a name was entered, and it wasn't on that list, they couldn't participate. We had asked for the names of all the qualifying students from the other schools as well, so that no one from those schools could get past it either. I take it that the headmaster was disappointed."

"Very...you saw him wait for another name. I can't help but wonder what he's planning. He wasn't very happy the first time he saw Harry this year. Did the blood adoption change?"

Just to be certain, Charlie pointed his wand at the older woman. "Finite!"

Minerva just looked at him and he blushed. "Well, I wanted to make sure you weren't under any spells. Can you blame me?"

She smiled slightly and shook her head. "No, Charlie, I can't. Did the adoption change?"

"Yes, it has. Sirius is now my guardian as well as my 'father'. We thought it was time because I am getting older and, once Charlie and I decide it's time to finish the bond, still being a Weasley by blood would have been rather disgusting."

Minerva nodded. "I agree completely with your reasoning." She looked at Harry and smiled again. "You look very like Sirius did at your age."

"He told me that I look like Regulus, his brother."

Minerva tilted her head and thought for a moment. "Yes, I can see that. But Regulus never smiled as much as Sirius does. He was always such a sober boy. Well, they're going to come out of there in a moment, so you need to be out of here.

They all took her advice and left the Great Hall, fortunately before anyone could leave the anteroom that Dumbledore and the champions were in.


	25. Chapter 24

~OOooOO~

Harry wasn't sure he wanted to watch the Tournament. He knew that members of the press would be there and would want to talk to him, instead of the champions like they should. He made a compromise, he attended the first two events, but wore his invisibility cloak. Charlie, Draco and Ron stayed with him at all times when he was out of the castle. They still didn't trust anyone around Harry, especially after Dumbledore's comments after the World Cup. They all sat close to the edge of the stands and basically kept to themselves. Once the event was over, Harry would lean into Charlie's side to indicate that he wanted to leave. Charlie would alert Ron and Draco and they would all stand up as one and quickly move out of the stands. Sirius would watch and wait for them at the bottom, and accompany them back into the castle.

The first two Tournament events passed without any incident. The only problem that had occurred during that time was during the Yule Ball. Harry and Ron had not wanted to go, but Hermione had finally convinced them that it was required and Sirius had taken it upon himself to buy new dress robes for Harry, Ron and the twins, so that they couldn't complain that they had nothing to wear. Ron asked Hermione to go with him, delighting the brunette to no end. She happily agreed and had to turn down the champion from Durmstrang when he asked her three days later. Harry, of course, had asked Charlie if he would go with him and Charlie readily agreed.

Harry had been singled out by the Durmstrang headmaster, Igor Karkaroff, as someone he wanted to know better. Charlie firmly planted himself at Harry's side and refused to leave, even when Karkaroff almost demanded that he do so.

"Why do you stand so protectively over the boy? Can he not be by himself?"

Harry looked at the older man and barely kept himself from snarling at him. "I want him there, so let's leave it at that, alright?" Karkaroff bowed slightly and excused himself. The boy was rude and he didn't seem inclined to answer his questions. He walked off in search of Severus Snape; maybe he could get his answers there.

He found the Potions Master deep in a discussion with Lucius Malfoy. He had been surprised to find that Hogwarts had hired two men known to be Death Eaters as part of their staff. It wouldn't have raised an eyebrow at Durmstrang, but here, at a school so obviously against anything dark, it was quite a shock.

"Severus, my friend! I have been searching for you. You seem to make yourself scarce every time I try to find you."

"Karkaroff." Severus inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement. "Why would you be looking for me? I had thought that you had said everything that needed to be said at our last meeting."

"I am just curious about the Potter boy. He refused to answer any of my questions and seemed to be quite rude."

"He can be very rude, I've found. What did you wish to know?" Severus had noticed that Karkaroff had yet to acknowledge Lucius' presence at Severus' side and the lapse irritated him. "You do remember Lucius Malfoy, correct?"

Karkaroff stared at Lucius with barely concealed dislike. "Yes, of course. My apologies Lucius, how have you been?"

Lucius knew that whatever he said would be picked apart in Karkaroff's mind and analysed for any weakness. "I am well, and you?"

"Fine, fine. Now, Severus, tell me about the Potter boy. I had thought that he would be entered in this competition."

"Why would you have thought that? He's only fourteen, far too young to compete."

"I had heard that your headmaster wished for him to compete, no matter his age. Why did he not get his way?"

Severus was concerned...if Karkaroff had heard that, what else had he heard. "Where did you hear that? Potter couldn't compete, he's too young."

"I have my sources; I am not willing to give them away." Karkaroff smirked at Severus, never noticing that Lucius had left the conversation after hearing this news. He made his way to Draco.

"Draco, I need you to get Black, Harry and Charlie to meet me in our quarters, quickly!" He walked swiftly out of the room and down to his rooms. He began pacing back and forth rapidly in front of the hearth. If Karkaroff had heard this, there was someone on Hogwarts' teaching staff who was letting information leak out. This had to be stopped before things got completely out of hand.

Draco let Sirius, Remus, Charlie and Harry into the family quarters. Lucius gestured at them to sit as he continued to pace; suddenly he stopped and faced them. "Karkaroff, the headmaster at Durmstrang told Severus some distressing news at the ball. He had heard, from an unnamed source, that Dumbledore had wanted Harry to enter the Tri-Wizard Tournament. We need to find out who knew about it and how the news got to Karkaroff. I'm very concerned about this; if this gets back to the Dark Lord, he'll use any means he can to get Harry somewhere near the pitch for the last task." He looked straight at Harry. "I'm sorry, but you cannot be allowed to go to the final task. The risk is too great."

Harry nodded, for the moment ignoring the tightening of Charlie's arm around his shoulders. "I've been to the one I really wanted to see, the dragons. I don't need to go to the last one."

"I'll stay with him in my quarters. Does You-Know-Who know about us being soul mates?"

"I believe he has heard; I, myself, heard about it before Harry's second year was over, and my sources were slightly less than trustworthy. If he knows, he will try to use that against him. That means you are also at risk Charlie. We cannot afford to lose either one of you." He looked at everyone in the room, one by one. "I want no one to touch anything that they know nothing about. If you are handed a book, make sure you know the person handing it to you. Do not sit in the same place twice for meals; I realise that it will look odd for you to be hopping around the tables, but it must be done this way. Someone must let Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger know about this."

Sirius looked at Lucius. "Do you think it would help if I pulled Harry out and schooled him at home?"

"No, that would only be placing yourselves in danger. Not to mention that Charlie would have to leave as well. This is actually the safest place for him right now. Not even Malfoy Manor would be safe; Narcissa has offered it to the Dark Lord's minions to use as a base of operations." Draco gasped, then sobbed once before swallowing his grief at his 'mother's' betrayal. "I know what you're thinking Draco, but, no, she knows nothing yet. Bellatrix has tightened her stranglehold over Narcissa and continues to convince her that the Dark Lord's way is best. If I thought that she might be under the Imperius Curse, I would see to it that she got away, but I can't be certain. The Black family has always been more in tune with the dark side of things, it would be only natural that she felt the same way. If you wish, I will find out for you." He looked at Sirius. "I meant no insult to you."

"None taken. I think that you underestimate Cissy though; it might surprise you to know that she didn't want to marry you. She felt that you were too dangerous, with your ties to Voldemort and all. Will she be at the next event?"

"She told me she would be there. What do you have in mind?"

"Just a 'Finite'. That will tell you if she's under a curse or not. If she is, what she knows could prove invaluable and we could spirit her away to safety." Sirius thought for a moment before continuing. "She and Andromeda were both a little more like me; Dromeda proved it when she married Ted Tonks."

Draco looked at his father with pleading eyes. "I know she's not really my mother, but I do love her. Please? Please try. If she's not under the Imperius Curse, you can Obliviate her and I'll just have to get over it."

Lucius nodded and looked back at Sirius. "At the next event, you and I will corner her and see if she is under the curse. How are you at Obliviates?"

"Fairly decent, but not as good as you were on that count. I can only imagine you've gotten better over the years. I was rotting in Azkaban for so long that I've actually had to practise some things, just so that I don't blow anyone up."

"Alright then, we'll do that at the next event. Draco, if she is under the Imperius Curse, I promise I will get her to safety, and that I will tell her everything. If she's been under the curse for years, she may not have married me of her own will."

~OOooOO~

The next event, a maze, started out uneventfully, but did not end that way. Not long after the champions entered the maze, Lucius sought out his wife. He pulled her away from the people she was sitting with an excuse that he needed to speak with her about Draco; she went willingly. Once they were completely alone, they were joined by Sirius, who cast the Finite, to end any spells that she was held under. Narcissa's body went rigid and she collapsed on the ground. After a few moments she raised her head and looked at the two men.

"_**Thank you!**_ Oh thank you! I thought I would never get away from Bella. How did you know?"

"We didn't, we had a suspicion, but this was the only way to prove it. How long have you been under the Imperius Curse?"

She looked down at her hands. "Since before we married. I didn't want to marry you with you being so close to the Dark Lord. I am assuming that you're not."

"No, and now that we've done this, you are no longer safe. You need to come with us into the castle, so that we can get you to some place where you cannot be harmed."

They walked carefully into the castle, down to Severus' office where he was waiting for them. The moment that Narcissa's eyes met his he used his Legilimency skills on her to make sure that she was telling the truth. He withdrew from her mind and nodded at Lucius, who was extremely relieved to see that nod. Now he wouldn't have to disappoint Draco.

They sat down to discuss what was going to happen and where Narcissa was going to go.

~OOooOO~

_**LATER THAT NIGHT:**_

Voldemort was not in a good mood. The body he had received at the end of the Tri-Wizard Tournament was far weaker than he had expected. The potion had called for the blood of his enemy, taken by force; what he got was the blood of one of his supporters given not quite willingly. Barty Crouch was one of his most fanatical supporters, but had been unwilling to give his blood to make certain that his master was given a body. Voldemort had made Lucius stun him and then take his blood. Lucius...his most trusted and loyal Death Eater. Voldemort smiled slightly, causing most of the people in the room to look away in revulsion. _Maybe I should have taken __**his**__ blood...he would have been a far better choice than the Crouch brat. Oh well, unfortunately I can't change it now. I know I can rely on Lucius to make certain that I am safe._

Lucius had known what would happen if the proper blood was not used in the potion. He had been counting on him using someone else's blood, rather than his own; he was pleased that he hadn't guessed wrong. He knew that Voldemort was thinking that the blood of a fanatical supporter would be just as powerful, if not more than, the blood of an enemy; Voldemort had chosen Crouch rather than Bellatrix, based on the level of his fanaticism. Fortunately, the lack of proper blood had caused the potion to be weak, resulting in a weak body. He knew that, when the time came, Harry would still be the only one who would be able to destroy him completely, but the task would be easier now. The man could hardly hold himself up to walk, let alone fight in a duel.

He was careful to keep any sign of exultation from his face; he wanted no one to know how pleased he was by the events of the evening. It wouldn't do to get caught as a traitor now; even with a weakened body, the Killing Curse would still work.


	26. Chapter 25

~OOooOO~

Cedric Diggory was named the Champion of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Viktor Krum had come in a very close second and Fleur Delacour trailed in at a distant third. Draco had watched the final task, never seeing his mother arrive or leave; he had stayed with Hermione and Ron the entire time. Crabbe and Goyle had sat behind them and, if it hadn't been for Hermione's quick thinking in putting up a shield, he was fairly certain that they would have hexed him to hell and back. He was having some serious thoughts about asking to either be re-sorted or to have his own quarters. He was beginning to feel unsafe in the Slytherin dorms and he knew that his spells to keep his bed curtains closed and silenced weren't going to last much longer.

Draco wasn't a coward by any stretch of the imagination, but he did have a healthy fear of those that were larger than him; that meant just about every boy in the Slytherin dorms. As they left the stands, he pulled Hermione and Ron aside.

"I have a question...just how crazy do you think Dumbledore is?"

Ron looked at Hermione and then back at Draco. "We think he's completely nutters, why?"

Draco's shoulders slumped. "I don't feel safe in the dorms anymore and with Crabbe and Goyle following me around like they do, I'm afraid that one day I won't wake up."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Draco, if it's that bad, talk to your father. He's a teacher here, you should be able to stay with him all the time."

"Yeah, she's right. All you should have to do is tell your father you want to live with him, for your own protection, and he'll talk to Dumbledore, you won't have to."

~OOooOO~

Draco was waiting for Lucius when he returned from the Death Eater meeting late that night. Lucius was surprised to see his son still awake and in his chambers, it was nearing midnight after all.

"Draco, what is it?"

Draco explained the situation, that he was afraid to continue to stay in the Slytherin dorms because of his obvious change in friendship with Harry. Lucius became worried; if Draco was seeing a change in Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, what could that mean for all of them? While Crabbe and Goyle weren't the most intelligent people in the world (Lucius rather thought that they ranked somewhere along the lines of mould), they could be counted on to follow orders. If the Dark Lord suspected that Draco's loyalties had changed, it would mean that he also suspected Lucius.

"Draco, listen to me before you say anything." At his son's nod, he continued. "I don't know if Crabbe and Goyle have reported this to their fathers yet. You are fourteen and will be fifteen soon; at the beginning of the next term, I want you to request a re-sort."

"But-"

"Please wait. You may stay here for the rest of this term, but I can't guarantee that I will be able to continue teaching next term. This was supposed to be a temporary position and I don't know if the Board will want me to continue on in this post. I may not be able to be here to protect you and you know that no one besides those we've told know that Severus is your other father. He...wait! Severus!" Lucius walked to the hearth and threw in some floo powder, "Severus Snape!"

After a moment, the potion master's head floated into view in the green flames. "Yes, Lucius? Is something wrong?"

"Yes, please come through and close off the floo."

His head disappeared and shortly thereafter he stepped through the flames into the sitting area. He turned and pressed a brick on the hearth and the flames roared high before dying out. "What's wrong?"

Lucius explained Draco's fears and his own conclusions. "If he knows that Draco's feelings have changed, he may suspect mine have changed as well." Lucius drew a deep breath. "He has returned. He gained a body tonight."

Severus' knees gave out and he collapsed on the sofa. "What do we do? I won't have you risk yourself by going back to him anymore."

Draco curled up in the armchair next to the sofa. What was he going to do if the Dark Lord had returned? How was he going to be able to handle knowing that his father was going to risk his life every time he went to a meeting? His breathing quickened and he started hyperventilating. How could he deal with this? What was he going to do? He didn't notice the arms around him until a phial was pressed against his lips.

"Drink." The voice brooked no argument and he obediently opened his mouth and swallowed the potion. He immediately felt more calm and in control of himself. He looked up and met the obsidian eyes of his father.

"How can we escape what's coming?" He knew they would have to leave, they couldn't risk being caught.

"I've thought of something but it's going to require quite a lot of acting on your part, my son." Severus drew him onto his lap. "We can create golems of Lucius and Narcissa, which will then be 'killed'. The golems will allow this as it will be part of their instructions. I will identify the 'bodies' and report back to the Dark Lord with the news. I will then take you under my protection; you will need to act devastated by this turn of events. I will let the Dark Lord know that you will be unsuitable for Death Eater activity because the deaths of your parents has affected your mind."

"Where will Mother and Father go?" Draco still called Narcissa 'Mother' so that he didn't alert anyone to the fact that Severus was his other parent, not Narcissa.

"They will have to go into hiding...preferably one of the Potter properties. We can't use a Black property because of Bellatrix. I will speak with Sirius about this and have him ask Harry which of the properties he will allow us to use."

"Once he knows what's going on, Harry will probably let you use any of his houses...he said he has several." Draco was warming up to the idea; he didn't care where they went, as long as they were safe. "But what about you? Won't this put you in danger?"

"No, it won't. None of the Death Eaters know of our relationship. As I am your godfather, it will only be natural for me to take you in as my ward. Once I report back to the Dark Lord about your 'breakdown', you will have to appear more needy, more emotional. You will have to concentrate on your school work, to the exclusion of almost everything else. No more Quidditch, no hanging about in the Slytherin common room. You will move into my quarters, so that I can be seen watching your mental stability. Both you and I know that there will be nothing wrong with you, but everyone else must think that you are suffering from deep depression."

"What about Harry? I can't just ignore him."

"I will explain everything to him, telling him the truth instead of the story we've just come up with. He will understand...I'm certain he won't want you to be in any kind of danger."

~OOooOO~

Everything, surprisingly, went according to plan. The 'bodies' of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were found, lying in a field, a few days after the end of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. After identifying the remains, Severus walked up to the head table during breakfast. He motioned to Albus to join him in a small alcove off of the Great Hall where he explained what had happened. The real sorrow on his face almost made Severus regret having to do this, but he knew it was necessary. They agreed that Severus would be the one to inform Draco.

His son was sitting at the Gryffindor table with Harry, blissfully unaware that their plan had been implemented. They had chosen to do it this way so that Draco's reactions would be real; most likely, he would collapse crying or faint, hopefully he had the presence of mind to do the latter. He walked up to Draco and asked to speak with him. Once he had pulled him off to the side, he informed Draco that Lucius and Narcissa were dead. Draco did not disappoint him; his breath caught in his chest and he collapsed to the floor. Just before his eyes slid closed, Severus saw the awareness in them...Draco knew that they were safe.


	27. Chapter 26

~OOooOO~

For the next few weeks, no one saw or heard from Draco Malfoy. After Draco had collapsed in the Great Hall, the students had been informed that Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had been found in a field not far from Malfoy Manor; they had apparently been executed. Draco had immediately been moved into his godfather's quarters by Severus, citing that Draco had not woken from his stupor, even two days after the incident.

After getting Draco settled in his own room, Severus waited for him to wake before leaving to inform the Dark Lord of this turn of events. Once he was certain that Draco was fine, Severus warded the rooms so that no one could enter or leave by any means. He left his quarters and found Albus, letting him know that he was going to inform Voldemort. Albus begged Severus to take care, as he couldn't afford to lose him as well as Lucius.

Once away from the wards surrounding Hogwarts, he apparated to Malfoy Manor, where he requested an audience with Voldemort. The Dark Lord visibly deflated when he was told of the deaths of Lucius and Narcissa; he had lost his best advisor.

"How?"

"There were no marks, I am assuming that the Killing Curse was used."

"What of Draco?"

"He collapsed when I told him. He has not yet woken."

"Will he still be useful to me after this?"

"I cannot be certain. Draco Malfoy is a strong individual, so there may be no lasting effects from his parents' deaths, but I will not know until he is coherent enough to answer questions."

"When do you expect that to be?"

"Tomorrow at the latest. I will send word if it takes longer than that."

"Do so."

Bowing low, Severus backed away from Voldemort before turning to leave. Once he left the wards around the Manor, he apparated back to Hogwarts and quickly made his way to his rooms. He temporarily disabled the wards so that the could enter, but erected them again once inside. Draco was sitting at the small table in the dining area, working on an essay.

"How are you, my son?"

Draco wrinkled his nose in thought before answering. "I'm fine. I know they're not dead, so it makes it easier on me. I will miss not having Father around, but this is for his safety. How do I do what needs to be done?"

"You will have to appear very needy of my company. We will have to work on how to look properly devastated by this, but I have no intention of allowing you out of here for at least a week, possibly longer.

~OOooOO~

Harry, Charlie and Sirius knew of the deception, but no one else did. They had all agreed that, since Harry and Draco had become friends, Harry would have to act deeply affected by Lucius and Narcissa's deaths. He took to spending more time with Charlie, acting the part of bereaved friend, but in reality getting to know Charlie better. This, in turn, allowed Charlie to delve into Harry's mind and gain knowledge about his soul mate. They discussed everything from Quidditch to test scores in their quest to know each other better.

"What do you plan to do after you graduate?" Charlie wanted to know because this would affect him, too.

"I don't know yet. I thought about playing Quidditch professionally, but I'm still not sure about it. I also thought about teaching here, if I wanted to get the certificate that allows me to. I think teaching would be fantastic; this was my first true home, so it makes sense that I would want to come back to Hogwarts. What about you? I know you're staying here to be with me, but what would you like to do after I graduate?"

Charlie hadn't given it any thought...whatever Harry did was fine with him. "If you want to teach, that would be good. I've been away from the dragons for almost two years now, so I don't miss them as much. Besides, working with dragons requires me to stay on the reserve and that would mean you would have to also. I'm more than willing to follow you around in whatever field you would choose. Have you thought about being an Auror?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to do that. I think, right now, working toward being a teacher is what seems best to me. I think it would be very rewarding to be able to pass on my knowledge to someone else."

Charlie agreed. "It is rewarding, very rewarding. I hadn't thought, when I started teaching last term, that I would enjoy it this much. If that's what you want, then, by all means, do that." He grinned at Harry. "I like living here."

Harry appeared lost in thought for a moment. "What do we do about Dumbledore though? If he continues the way he is, I'm not sure I want to teach here. He makes me nervous."

"Has he done anything else recently?"

"Not since Lucius and Narcissa 'died'." They made sure to keep up appearances, even in private. "He still watches us, but I haven't heard him saying anything. I don't think he'll give it up that easily; he'll just wait until everything about Draco has died down. Have you spoken to Professor Snape today? I haven't seen Draco since all this happened, and I really would like to know how he is."

"We can talk to him later, after lunch. I don't want to push if Draco's not ready to see people."

Harry nodded, understanding, although he rather thought that Draco was probably going stir crazy about now.

~OOooOO~

After speaking with Severus, Harry and Charlie were told to come to his rooms after dinner that evening. Draco had mentioned that he wanted to see Harry and he wanted some company while Severus went to another meeting with the Dark Lord to report on Draco's 'lack of mental stability'. Severus knew he was risking torture should the Dark Lord find out about his deception, but this was the only way to keep his son safe.

He had heard from Lucius that morning, a Potter house elf had delivered a letter, which he had shared with Draco. It let them know that Lucius had finally explained everything about himself and Severus to Narcissa, including the fact that Draco was not hers biologically. He told her that Draco still loved her and continued to call her Mother. Lucius went on to tell them to apologise to Harry, and that Lucius would replace or fix any items damaged during Narcissa's fit of temper. Draco had laughed, knowing of her temper, and was glad that he hadn't been there to see it.

Once Harry and Charlie had entered the rooms, Severus hugged his son and left to apparate to Riddle Manor. Charlie warded the door and floo to admit no one but Severus into the rooms; they would stay with Draco until Severus' return.

Harry had brought some of his school work with him, so that Draco could help him with his Potions essay on pregnancy potions. He and Draco knew that same-sex couples could have children together, but it required a potion combined with a spell. It was interesting to see how it worked without the benefit of a soul bond and the three of them spent several hours debating whether or not it was a good idea to change what nature had intended for those not in a soul bond.

Charlie, for the most part, sat and listened to his mate debate against the process and Draco debate for it. Draco was the product of a soul bond and knew that he wouldn't be alive if it weren't for that fact; but Harry had a good point in that the world was already overrun with babies that weren't wanted by their parents, some of them magical...wouldn't it be a better thing to adopt a magical child rather than bringing a new life into the world through the use of a potion? Charlie had never thought of it that way and, until his half of the soul had recognised Harry's, he had thought he wouldn't have children of his own. He had figured that he and whomever he decided to spend his life with would adopt a magical child or two. Now that he would be able to have a child of his own blood, his views still hadn't changed. There were far too many children living in magical orphanages, just waiting for the proper parents to come find them; most of them would never get adopted and would be shunted out onto the streets when they reached their magical majority at seventeen. That, however, was a conversation to have with Harry at a much later date. The sound of the floo activating stopped the debate and had Harry and Draco scurrying into Draco's room, just in case it wasn't Severus.

Severus returned from the meeting, clutching his arm in pain. Charlie stood and helped him over to the sofa, so that he could lie down. "Do you want me to get Poppy?"

Severus nodded before adding, "Make sure that Draco and Harry stay out of sight. I'll explain what happened once she leaves."

Charlie told Harry and Draco to stay put and closed the door to the room before re-opening the floo for inside travel. He went to the infirmary and brought Poppy back with him, armed with potions of all sorts. She kept a basket of potions separate, strictly for Severus' use. Once she had healed the damage and left, Charlie asked Draco and Harry to join them. Once they had settled themselves on the floor, Severus told them what had happened.

_**FLASHBACK**_

_Severus entered the darkened dining room at Riddle Manor and had immediately knelt on the floor just inside of the doorway. _

"_Severus, come forward."_

_Severus rose and walked toward Voldemort, keeping his eyes respectfully lowered. He strengthened his Occlumency shields as he walked, he wanted to give nothing away. He knelt again once he reached the throne-like chair at the very end of the room._

"_By your command, My Lord."_

"_Tell me of Draco Malfoy. How goes his recovery?"_

"_He has been greatly affected by his parents' deaths. He seems to have regressed mentally, to the point where he does not speak unless spoken to and, even then, it is only in one word answers or very short sentences. I may have been wrong when I said that I thought he was a strong individual. I apologise for incorrectly judging his mental state prior to the deaths."_

_Severus waited, knowing he was to be punished for giving the Dark Lord wrong information about Draco. He kept his head bowed and didn't look at the Dark Lord. He knew he had to accept whatever pain would be inflicted, so that he could keep the ruse going. Physical punishment was one of the ways that the Dark Lord held sway over his minions. He vaguely heard Bellatrix Lestrange's crazed giggle only one moment before he was hit with the Cruciatus curse. He could feel how weak the curse was because it didn't cause nearly as much pain as it had before, during the war. That taken into consideration, it was still extremely painful to endure, and he had to exert himself to keep from crying out with the pain. The curse only lasted a few moments before it was lifted and he fell flat on the floor, pretending that it was as strong as it used to be._

"_Rise Severus."_

_He got to his feet, shaking and sweating; the Cruciatus curse was never pleasant, no matter how weak it was. He kept his eyes down, looking at the floor as a sign of respect, as he shored up his mental walls._

"_You need to try your hardest to bring young Draco back to his full mental capacity. I don't care how you do it, but get it done. Do not return unless you are successful or I call for you; is that understood?"_

"_Yes, My Lord. I will do as you command."_

"_Leave me."_

_Severus backed away and, just before he turned to leave, he was hit with a bone-breaking hex from Voldemort. "That is for disappointing me. Do not let it happen again."_

_Severus nodded through the pain and left the room. He conjured a splint for his arm and left the warded manor. He apparated to the Three Broomsticks and flooed back to his quarters from there._

_**END FLASHBACK**_

He looked at his son. "You realise that you will not be able to make a 'recovery' until the Dark Lord is gone, right?"

Draco nodded, accepting the fact that Harry and Charlie were likely to be his only visitors for the foreseeable future. "I'll live with it."

Severus sighed, "My son, I am sorry about this. I never intended for you to become a prisoner in these rooms. Maybe you will have 'recovered' enough by next term to return to some classes. I will see if there is a way that you and Harry could be in the same classes. It would be good for it to appear that he is the only student that you will speak with. This is not going how I had anticipated and for that I apologise to you."

Draco hugged his father and clung to him for a moment. "That's alright. At least I know I'm safe in here."


	28. Chapter 27

~OOooOO~

With Lucius and Narcissa supposedly dead, Draco had inherited Malfoy Manor and all of the Malfoy vaults; Severus, as his godfather, assumed guardianship of the Malfoy heir and, with Draco's, permission, filed adoption papers, so that he would be declared Draco's father. Severus, Sirius and Charlie made the decision that they, along with Bill Weasley and Remus, would go to the Manor and remove the current wards and replace them with new ones, allowing in only those that Severus and Draco agreed to. The floo in the Manor would be connected to the Potter house that Lucius and Narcissa were hiding in, so that they could come to see Draco over the summer.

Once the wards had been changed, Severus took Draco to the Manor to see his father and 'mother' for the first time in over six weeks. In order to give Draco time alone with them, the others, Sirius, Charlie, Harry and the Weasleys, would all arrive a week later, having spent that week at the Burrow. All of the adults agreed that it would be best to keep everyone together as much as possible, since word of the Malfoy's 'deaths' and Harry's blood adoption had gotten out and were now public knowledge.

Bill had escorted Hermione to her parents and had explained that he was going to accompany them back to their house in order to ward it as well. Since Hermione was the only magical person in the household, she would be the one in control of the wards. Bill allowed entry only to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Hermione, himself, Severus and Sirius; the last three being allowed in only in case of an emergency with the wards. He had included a spell that would apparate either himself, Severus or Sirius, whomever was the closest, in case of an emergency. The Grangers were very grateful to Bill for his planning since they were both muggles and could do nothing to prevent a magical attack.

Bill looked at David Granger for a moment, but shook his head silently. The man was not a muggle; Bill could feel magic around him but it was faint. He wondered if he was a squib, as some squibs did have a natural access to more magic than usual for a squib, but were still unable to use it. He placed a hand on his arm and one on Hermione's arm to feel the difference. Yes, David Granger had magic floating around him, not as strong as his daughter's, but it was there. He looked into David's eyes and realised that he knew what Bill was doing. He shook her head minutely and Bill removed his hand; for some reason, he didn't want his wife and daughter to know. Hermione looked at him oddly and he smiled at her.

"Just making sure you're going to be okay. The wards are in place and will protect the property should anyone try to come in. Just remember that only the three of you plus myself, Severus and Sirius can come on to the property. If anyone else tries, they will suddenly remember something else that they should be doing; it's a repelling charm. Mr. Granger, may I speak privately with you?" David Granger nodded and they walked out into the garden.

"Who are you Mr. Granger? I can feel the magic around you, but it's faint. You're not a muggle, which means that Hermione is not a muggle-born witch, but I'm not sure if you're a squib or not."

David sighed heavily. "I've been in contact with many witches and wizards over the years, but you're the first to actually feel my magic. Yes, I am a wizard, but choose not to live as one. I left the wizarding world when it became apparent that He Who Must Not Be Named was gaining strength. I use charms and masking spells to cover my magic."

"Did you attend Hogwarts?"

"Yes. I graduated in 1974. I refused to go back after watching several of my dorm-mates join his ranks and be tortured."

"You were in Slytherin?"

"No, Ravenclaw. That _**monster**_ had a way of saying things that would make almost anyone want to join his ranks. I saw him for what he was and was overjoyed when he was destroyed."

"Well, You-Know-Who has returned. He wasn't killed thirteen years ago, only his body was destroyed."

David's eyes widened. "No! That can't be! I was told that the Potter boy had killed him somehow. What happened?"

"His soul didn't die, just his body. He regained a body after the Tri-Wizard Tournament at the school this term. From what I understand, it's far weaker than he had hoped, but he's still dangerous...mainly because of his supporters. That's why I'm here; the wards will protect your family. The Death Eaters know that your daughter is a friend of Harry's and that places her in danger. The wards won't allow anyone in...but I'm going to suggest that you and your wife sit and have a little talk about your abilities. Now, more than ever, your family will need to know that you are a wizard."

David nodded, lost in thought as they walked back inside the house. Bill pulled Hermione aside and handed her a small notebook. "This is one of the twins' inventions. If you need us, write in this notebook and tap it with your wand. It won't activate the tracer for underage magic, so you don't have to worry about that. It will send your note to me or Sirius; Severus can't have one because of his spying." He looked up to see David waiting in the doorway. "I'm going now...listen to what your dad has to say with an open mind. If you need anything David..."

"I'll get word to you." Bill nodded and disapparated.

~OOooOO~

Albus Dumbledore was irritated. He had lost one of his two best spies and the man's son was completely out of his reach. Severus was unlikely to allow Draco to take up where his father had left off, but Albus wanted to try to convince him that it was necessary. From what Poppy had observed and Severus said, Draco had all but stopped speaking and interacting with anyone aside from Severus, Charlie Weasley and Harry Potter-Black. He seemed to be quite normal until someone approached him and then he tried to curl himself into a ball, most likely trying to hide. Severus said that Draco thought it was by Voldemort's orders that his parents were dead and couldn't be convinced of anything else.

His expression darkened as he thought about Harry. The boy wouldn't come near him or let himself be alone with him, showing Albus that Harry didn't trust him like he should. He needed to have Charlie complete their bond now, to unlock the boy's hidden potential. Albus knew that Harry's magic wouldn't mature until their bond had been consummated; the problem was convincing Charlie that he needed to finish the bonding process. The one time he had spoken with Charlie about it, the young man had vehemently opposed it. He said that Harry was far too young to even think about consummating the bond now, that it could actually make his magic turn inward to protect the boy but would end up destroying him from the inside out.

While this was a possibility, Albus didn't think that Harry was quite that powerful. Yes, the boy was extremely strong, more powerful than even he was, but he didn't think that Harry would let his magic harm him. He ignored the rational side of his mind telling him that Harry would have no control over his magic should it decide that he was under that kind of threat. He popped a lemon drop into his mouth as he continued to talk to himself out loud, contemplating using the Imperius Curse to force Harry to seduce Charlie.

He never never noticed the pale green eyes of Minerva McGonagall watching him from an unnaturally darkened corner of the room.

~OOooOO~

The Malfoys, Severus, Charlie and Harry were all sitting in the study at Malfoy Manor when the floo flared to life. Lucius and Narcissa hurried to stand flat against the wall on one side of the hearth, so that they couldn't be seen by the person making the fire-call. Severus pressed a brick on the side of the hearth and Minerva McGonagall's head appeared in the green flames.

"Severus! I need to come through. Albus is making plans and you need to know about them!"

Severus stole a look at Lucius who nodded in response; Minerva was someone they could trust. He pressed a different brick and told her to step through. Once she stepped through the flames, Severus pressed a combination of bricks to seal off the floo, so that no one could come through or make a call. Minerva turned to speak to Severus, but screamed instead when she caught sight of Lucius and Narcissa; if it weren't for Lucius' quick reflexes, she would have crumpled to the floor in a dead faint.

Lucius placed the unconscious woman on a sofa and Severus flicked his wand over her. "Rennervate!"

Minerva's eyes fluttered open and she looked around quickly, her eyes flitting from person to person, trying to figure out if she had been seeing things. As her gaze came to rest on Lucius and Narcissa, she realised that she had indeed seen them and she sat up. "How?"

Everyone sat back down and began to tell Minerva what had happened. She nodded in understanding; it was, quite possibly, the only way that the Malfoys would have been able to escape unscathed. "So then, Draco is quite normal? He's not...unstable?"

Draco laughed. "No, I'm fine. I've just been honing my acting skills for the last two months. It's harder than you'd think it would be, to act mentally unbalanced."

Minerva explained to them what she had heard in the headmaster's office. Their expressions changed from curiosity to anger and disgust; they almost couldn't believe what they were hearing. Harry knew that this had been a possibility, that was why they had cast those spells last summer; but to hear that Dumbledore was actually planning on trying it...it made Harry's blood go cold. He felt Charlie's strong arms surround him, comforting him.

Charlie could feel Harry's anger and sadness through their bond. He had also known that it was likely that Albus would try this; he was the master manipulator, after all. Charlie just held Harry loosely in his arms, trying to calm him by touch. They had grown much closer since the beginning of the last term, but neither of them was, in any way, prepared to complete the bond yet; Harry wasn't old enough to handle the influx of magic that would occur and Charlie was just disgusted by the thought of taking Harry when he was underage.

Severus knew that Albus would try the Imperius Curse, probably as soon as the new term started; he would need to have Harry prepared and able to fight off the curse as soon as possible. He turned to Harry and Charlie. "We will begin tonight to train both of you to throw off the Imperius Curse. It's not impossible to fight like the Killing Curse, but it isn't easy at first. Lucius, is there a room here that we can use to practice? We will need plenty of space; preferably a room with very few breakable objects, just in case Harry's magic goes wild.

Lucius nodded and they all began to plan.


	29. Chapter 28

~OOooOO~

The training was difficult; Harry hadn't been able to successfully throw the Imperius Curse until the very end of the summer holidays, and even then it had only been once. Severus believed that it was because most of his magic had been blocked by the uncompleted bond, and kept working Harry until the night before they returned to Hogwarts. Even though all of the teachers had to report back to the school two weeks prior to the start of term, they had continued training in the Room of Requirement. Harry had had to return to the school with Charlie but was never seen without Sirius, Remus or Charlie close by.

Albus knew that he should have tried to cast the Imperius before now, but had never had the chance; now that the boy was guarded closely, his chances were dwindling. He continued to work his problems out verbally, never realising that he was constantly being watched by Minerva.

Remus had been re-hired as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and was constantly testing Harry and Charlie. Everyone knew that Albus would find an opening eventually and wanted to take no chances. Two weeks into the new term, Albus finally found his opening, but not with Harry.

Charlie felt the curse hit him squarely between his shoulder blades and it brought him to his knees. He could feel the curse's effects attempting to muddle his mind and dropped down to his hands and knees in order to conserve his strength. He felt the effects of the curse leave him as he fought it with everything in him. Pretending to still be under its power, he stood straight up and waited for the command. Lucius had told him that the caster would have to make eye contact with him in order for the curse to become effective, so he just stood and waited...he didn't have to wait long.

Albus walked in front of the second-oldest Weasley boy and smiled. "You will do as I say, Charles Weasley. You will consummate your bond with Harry Potter-Black tonight. Do not allow him to talk you out of doing this; his magic needs to be released, otherwise Voldemort will conquer him. You will not remember this conversation and the effects of the Imperius will end as soon as you have done as I command. Go."

Charlie walked off in the direction of his rooms and, as soon as he was out of Dumbledore's line of sight, he ran to Severus' classroom. Opening the door, he motioned to Severus to come into the hall. As soon as Severus had joined him, he cast a privacy bubble around them.

"He did it. He cast the curse at me."

"And?" He could see Severus drawing his wand and nodded.

"Cast a Finite, just to make sure."

"Finite!" Charlie felt the magic roll over him, but felt no change.

"I was able to fight it off, but I wanted to make sure it was gone. I need to remove the memory, may I borrow your pensieve?" Severus led him into his private office where Charlie removed the memory and stored it in Severus' private pensieve. "What now? He's going to expect Harry's power to increase."

"And so it shall, for a very brief period, and then it will turn inward."

"I'm not risking Harry for that old man's schemes!"

"You're not going to. We're going to have to have Harry hone his acting skills along with Draco. He's going to have to act as if his magic is driving him insane. It's one of many effects that could happen when someone's magic turns inward to protect them. The magic wouldn't necessarily kill him, but it could slowly drive him insane."

Charlie nodded and went to find Harry.

~OOooOO~

They met that evening in Sirius' and Remus' quarters. Draco had joined them, using the internal floo network, so that he could help Harry start to act slightly off the next day; he left before Ron and Hermione came to the room, as they didn't know his grief was an act. Ron and Hermione had been shocked that Dumbledore would use an Unforgivable on Charlie, but had already been told that it would most likely happen soon. They all formulated a plan that would require Harry to begin to avoid other people and essentially remain almost glued to Charlie's side. Remus would go to Albus and request that Harry be tutored, but only after Harry had displayed enough signs of impending madness. Severus told Harry to make the progression slowly, so that it looked like the madness was taking logical steps towards complete insanity.

"How long should I make this process last?" Harry was not looking forward to appearing insane, but if that's what it took to make Albus leave him and Charlie alone, he would do it.

"The complete progression could take years, so we're going to speed it up slightly. Within three months, you will be confined to Charlie's quarters and you will have to be checked up on frequently to make sure you haven't harmed yourself or set the castle on fire." Severus paused and held Harry's gaze. "I know this isn't what you wanted to be doing, but now that Albus has forced our hand, there's no alternative. Minerva, your job will be to continue to watch Albus and make certain that Harry has his school work. Either you or myself will grade it and record the grades elsewhere, so that they don't show up on Harry's records. Albus will be told that Harry is incapable of completing the work at about the same time he gets confined to quarters. Is that acceptable?"

"Completely. I will arrange with you, Miss Granger, to take notes and have a listing of what the homework for that day is. You will visit my offices on a daily basis, ostensibly to ask about Harry, but it will be so that you can give me his work. The only thing that is going to change school-wise, Harry, will be when you take your O.W.L.s; you will have to sit for them over the summer holidays. Mr. Weasley, about a month from now, Harry will be dropped from the Quidditch team and you will have to hold a try-out for his position as seeker. I suggest your sister as a replacement; do you think she will be able to fill your shoes Harry?"

Harry nodded. "We've been using Ginny as my fill-in when I'm unable to make practices or have been unable to play in a game. She should work out fine."

Ron looked at Harry, then at the teachers. "Are we going to be able to see him? I mean, until he's got to stay in Charlie's rooms; but we'll be able to be with him up until then, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Weasley, you will be able to be with Mr. Potter-Black until we deem that he is too 'unstable' to be around. Make sure that you help him, especially as it is going to look like you don't know what is happening to him." Severus turned his dark gaze on Charlie. "Your role is going to be the hardest. You're going to have to pretend that you have no memory of anything happening between you and Harry. Not that anything will happen, but you're going to have to be very confused as to why your soul mate is behaving like that. Eventually, we will have to get you a replacement teacher, as you will not be able to be away from Harry for any length of time. His 'insanity' will only stabilise when you are with him because you are his bond-mate. I'm going to hazard a guess that that should occur somewhere around the Easter holidays."

"That's fine. What are we going to do about Professor Dumbledore? He's going to think his plan worked, but then he'll see me heading downhill. What do we do then?" Harry wanted nothing to do with the manipulations of the headmaster anymore; he personally thought it was ironic that he was going to have to pretend to be insane when the headmaster had apparently beat him to that mark.

"We'll have to deal with that when it happens. Miss Granger, you will be the first to notice something is wrong with your friend. I suggest that you go to Lupin or Black with that concern and they can go to Charlie. Give it about a week before you notice something being 'wrong'." Severus smirked. "After a suitable amount of the 'insanity', I will run a scan on Mr. Potter-Black and Mr. Weasley only to find that Mr. Weasley had been placed under the Imperius Curse. Albus apparently does not realise that any Unforgivable carries the magical signature of the caster. Even though you fought off the curse, the fact that it was cast on you will still be traceable to the caster. We will then call in the Aurors to deal with him...I am proposing that happen closer to the end of term, so that as few students as possible are affected."

Minerva looked around the room at those gathered. "Does everyone know their role?" The whole room nodded in acceptance. "Well then, I suggest we start this plan moving. Charlie, Harry...we will see you at breakfast...make sure to be slightly confused Harry." She smiled and then flooed back to her office.

Everyone else just looked at each other with trepidation. They all really hoped that this worked.


	30. Chapter 29

~OOooOO~

Albus watched Harry closely the next morning to see if any manifestations of his unbound power were apparent; what he saw worried him. Harry sat quietly at the Gryffindor table, not really paying any attention to his surroundings and eating very little. Occasionally Hermione would lean over and speak with him but he only shook his head in response. As the trio stood to leave the Hall, Harry almost walked straight into the wall next to the door; only Ron's quick thinking saved him from planting his face into the stone. Harry shook his head and smiled at Ron, thanking him, and left the Hall. Albus sat back in his chair pondering what he had seen...could he have been wrong?

Minerva, Severus, Remus and Charlie all watched Albus as he tried to figure out what was going on with Harry. Of course, it wouldn't have occurred to the old man that what he was doing could harm his little weapon. Albus shook his head in confusion, never realising that several of the teachers were watching him like a hawk would a mouse.

"Do you think he's realised yet?" The whisper in Minerva's ear came from Severus, seated directly to her left.

She shook her head slightly, motioning for the others to leave the Great Hall. Severus left first, followed by Remus and Charlie and Minerva brought up the rear. Once clear of the doors, Minerva took over the lead, walking into an unused classroom. When everyone had filed in, she locked the door and cast a silencing spell; as a final precaution, she also cast a privacy bubble around the group.

"He's not realised yet, but it shouldn't take him long. He may be losing his mind, but he's not stupid by any means. We should never underestimate him; he didn't get where he is by being a complete idiot." She turned to Severus. "Did you think Mr. Potter-Black's performance was adequate?"

"I believe that it was, for the beginning. As long as he regularly adds to his repertoire, he will succeed admirably with this. Charlie, I would say that you should start to notice things in about a day or so, around the same time that Miss Granger begins to notice them. Make no comment on his actions until it is brought up by either Sirius or Remus, though. You should be trying to figure out what's happening on your own."

Charlie agreed, "Alright, so once either Sirius or Remus comes to me, I can talk to them about noticing things. I take it that we're going to start watching Harry more closely after that?"

"Yes...once we have been informed of the changes in Mr. Potter-Black's behaviours, we will begin to closely track his movements and actions. Minerva, at some point, you will take Mr. Potter-Black to the infirmary to have Poppy scan him to make certain that he's physically okay, since her scan will show nothing is wrong, we will be more confused."

"Severus, how long do you think this will take? I can't foresee Albus giving up." Minerva was worried that the Headmaster would try something else once it became common knowledge that something was 'wrong' with Harry.

"No, he will not give up, but this will have to work. At this point we really have no other viable alternative; I can only hope that he feels guilt once he thinks about what he's done."

Charlie snorted. "Not likely, Severus. He had absolutely no qualms about casting that spell on me; I have no doubt that he would do it again in a heartbeat. The man has no idea of what he could have done to Harry if I hadn't been able to fight off that curse."

~OOooOO~

As the weeks wore on, Harry began to act more and more peculiar. Other students began to notice the oddities in his behaviour and rumours began to fly around Hogwarts faster than a golden snitch in flight. After a month of this behaviour, Harry had to find a way to get himself removed from the Quidditch team. After several arguments with Charlie and a very serious conversation with Minerva, Harry decided that the best way would be for him to fall from his broom.

"It's not like I'm going to fall off from fifteen metres up...I'm only thinking about six. That should be enough to prove that there really is something wrong. It shouldn't hurt me too badly and, since I won't be flying again, I'll have plenty of time to recover."

"I don't want you risking yourself for this! What if something goes really wrong and you hurt yourself permanently? No, you're not falling off of your broom. What am I supposed to do...sit there and watch you fall? I won't be able to do that!"

"No, you can cast a slowing charm or a cushioning spell on the ground. I know it's not going to keep me from getting hurt, but, if you do that, it won't be that bad. Charlie, think about it...if something like this doesn't happen, Professor McGonagall doesn't have a reason to pull me off of the team. Odd behaviour just isn't enough to warrant benching someone, there has to be a real reason. If I can't sit on my broom without falling off, _**that**_ is a reason."

Charlie could see Harry's point, but that didn't mean he had to like it. "If you do this, you promise you won't do anything else to hurt yourself?"

"I promise...just this one thing."

Charlie blew out a heavy sigh. "Alright. Minerva, I'm going to be on the ground watching the game. Since I'm already concerned about Harry's behaviour, it will make more sense for me to be there, so I can see him right after the game is over. This way, I will be able to slow his fall, hopefully."

Minerva nodded, agreeing with his strategy; she didn't like the fact that Harry was deliberately going to hurt himself, but there seemed to be no other way to get him off of the team. They agreed that only the three of them would know about the plan, so that it didn't have a premeditated feeling to it. This way, the entire school would see just how quickly Harry's illness was progressing. Even with Harry promising to fall only six metres, instead of fifteen, it still gave Minerva a bad feeling about the whole idea. She didn't want Harry to be truly hurt; if there was a way to fake the injury, she would have preferred that. The only issue with a fake injury is that they would have to take Poppy into their confidence and that was adding one more person to an already long list of people who knew what was really going on; it wasn't something they could risk.

~OOooOO~

In the end, it didn't matter what Harry planned to do; one of the Slytherin beaters changed the plans by hitting a bludger straight at the back of Harry's head. Harry heard George's yell only an instant before the bludger made contact. Since he was in the process of turning his head to look, the bludger hit the left side of his head instead of the back and his world went black.

Charlie saw the bludger make contact and knew that he had to act fast. Harry was higher in the air than he wanted to be when he fell, so Charlie cast a spell to slow Harry's fall and another one to cushion the ground beneath him; he then took off at a run to see if he could stop Harry's fall before he hit the ground. As he ran, he was aware of Remus frantically casting spells as well, but Harry was moving too fast for them to hit him. At the last minute, he was able to make contact with a spell to turn Harry so that he didn't fall head first into the ground.

Charlie reached Harry just after he hit the ground and immediately cast a stasis spell on him. He began casting the few diagnostic spells he knew as he heard the crowd roar in approval. He didn't know or care what had happened; he was only concerned with Harry's condition. He knew when Poppy ran up to the small crowd that had gathered around him and Harry because he heard her yelling at people to get out of the way and give her room. She started casting more thorough diagnostic spells and shook her head.

"Thank you for casting the stasis spell Professor Weasley, it will allow me to see what requires the most attention."

"How is he?" Charlie was worried; the fall had been much higher than they had anticipated, 12 metres instead of 6.

"I need to get him back to the Infirmary, but I think I can safely say that he won't be back up on a broom any time in the near future." She levitated Harry's body off of the pitch and began to walk with him back to the castle.

Charlie shared a look with Minerva and shook his head slightly, indicating that he didn't know what was wrong, just that it was bad. It was a sad, worried group that made its way to the Infirmary, following Madam Pomfrey and a floating Harry.

~OOooOO~

No one, except for Minerva and Severus, was allowed into the Infirmary while Poppy and Severus were attempting to heal Harry. Charlie knew that his injuries had to be fairly severe for Poppy to cast locking and silencing charms on the doors to the ward. Not even Albus had been able to take them down; he had tried several times. Hermione sat on his right side and Ron on his left, both holding his hand, trying to give him a little comfort as they all worried over the boy inside the Infirmary.

He had found out what the roaring had been about...Fred had caught the snitch as it flew past him, just as Harry had made contact with the ground. The Slytherins had tried to argue that the seeker hadn't caught it, so it didn't count, but Madam Hooch had overruled that, stating that there was nothing in the rules saying that only the seeker could catch the snitch. Fred still had the snitch in his hand; he was going to keep this reminder of the only Quidditch game he had ever won for Gryffindor.

After several hours, Minerva opened one of the doors and motioned to Charlie, Sirius and Remus to accompany her inside. She glared at the Headmaster when he tried to enter also, causing him to step back for fear she would hex him. They almost ran to the occupied bed as Minerva reset the locking and silencing charms.

Poppy stopped them a metre from the bed. "No touching! I've removed the stasis spell and Severus and I have healed as much as we were able. Because he fell from such a height, the slowing spell you cast wore off before he hit the ground; however, the cushioning spell kept him from being killed on impact. He has broken nearly every bone in his body; his spine is still intact, giving me hope that he will walk again. His skull was fractured, but that was the first thing we healed. The rest of his bones are going to take longer to heal because there were so many that were broken. His internal organs were not injured badly, one of his ribs punctured a lung, so we had to heal that right away as well. Strangely enough, he had no internal bleeding; I've put up alarms to tell me if he does start bleeding, but for right now, there is none." She saw the devastated look on everyone's faces. "I'm sorry to have to tell you all this, but you three are the most important people in his life right now. I've summoned Arthur and Molly; they should be here shortly."

Charlie sat in a chair at the side of Harry's bed and dropped his head into his hands. He was going to lose his soul mate...he just knew it. The soul bond was driving him spare; it kept telling him that he needed to be touching his mate and helping him. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into the dark depths of Severus' eyes.

"He will not die, Charlie. His life will probably not be the same as it was, but he will not die. Your cushioning and stasis spells made sure of that. He will need you more than ever, once he is awake." Severus looked up at Remus and Sirius. "Minerva and I took Poppy into our confidence about what has been going on. She has agreed to help us and has been sworn to secrecy. It looks like Harry's not going to have to pretend anymore. Albus won't be able to touch him if he can't leave Charlie's quarters. I will speak with you, Minerva, about tutoring him once he's able to begin classes again, but I don't think that he will be able to attend classes for quite some time. He will need intensive therapy to work his muscles and bones if he is to function normally again."

Charlie ignored the tears on his cheeks; he wanted so badly to hold Harry's hand, but couldn't. Poppy saw him reach out but then withdraw his hand. "Carefully, Charlie. If you take his hand carefully, you shouldn't hurt him."

He gently slid his hand underneath Harry's and let the limp hand rest in his. The soul bond calmed down slightly, allowing him to breathe a little easier. He knew Harry had a long road ahead of him, but he was going to be there for him every step of the way.

~OOooOO~

Leaving Poppy with the others, Minerva and Severus stepped outside of the Infirmary doors. Minerva silently recast the spells and turned to the crowd gathered in the hallway. She let Severus speak first, telling everyone about Harry's condition. As he spoke, she paid careful attention to Albus' face and his reactions to the news.

"Mr. Potter-Black will not be playing Quidditch again...at least not for quite some time. His injuries are quite severe and it is a miracle that he is still alive, considering the height from which he fell. At this time, we are not certain that he will be able to walk again, let alone sit on a broom with full balance. Madam Pomfrey asks that you not try to see Mr. Potter-Black until you are informed that he is able to see visitors. His health is quite precarious right now and any illness that you might be carrying will affect him greatly as his body continues to heal itself." He turned to look at his colleague. "Minerva?"

"Yes, thank you Severus. If you wish to know how Mr. Potter-Black is faring, please come to me or Professor Snape and we will give you updates as to his progress. At this time, no one is at fault for these injuries; the Slytherin beater made a legal move in hitting the bludger in Mr. Potter-Black's direction. None of you will attempt to get 'revenge' on the Slytherins for this occurrence. If anything is done, I will know of it and will punish each and every one of you as punishment for one person's actions. I am hoping that this will keep things from getting out of hand." She stopped speaking as the entire Slytherin team quietly walked up to the group. "Yes?"

"Professor? How is he?" The speaker was the beater that had caused the accident. "Potter's going to be okay, isn't he?"

Severus was filled with pride that his Slytherins had come of their own free will to see how their rival team's seeker was doing. "Yes, Mr. Goyle, Mr. Potter-Black should recover. I will not lie to you, right now his injuries are extremely life-threatening and his condition is considered unstable. You are not to blame for this, you made a completely legal move." The team nodded as one and slowly left the hallway...except for Gregory Goyle. "Mr. Goyle, you are free to leave."

"I know, Sir, but I wanted to speak with you."

Severus excused himself from the group and pulled Goyle aside. "What is it Mr. Goyle?"

The boy took several deep breaths before answering his Head of House. "Sir, I don't want to become a Death Eater." The words were whispered, so that no one but Severus could hear them.

Severus made eye contact with Goyle. "Legilimens!" As Severus sorted through Goyle's thoughts and memories, he found that the boy was speaking the truth; he pulled out of Goyle's mind. "Come to my office after dinner tonight. We will discuss this more then. Whatever you do, do not mention this to any of your house mates." Goyle nodded to show that he understood and left the hall. As Severus rejoined the group of Gryffindors in the hall, he had to wonder exactly what had prompted the son of one of the Inner Circle to defect.

**~OOooOO~**

_**I know that only the seeker can catch the snitch, but I changed the rules for this story as it worked for me...besides, had to have Gryffindor win!**_


	31. Chapter 30

~OOooOO~

When they arrived, Molly and Arthur were shown into the Infirmary with the rest of their children. They had taken longer to arrive so that they could call Bill home from Egypt; they wanted _**all**_ of their children in that room so that they could support each other. Bill walked straight up to Charlie and put his arms around his brother; he was not surprised to find that Charlie was crying. He tightened his hold, making sure not to disturb the hand that was gently holding Harry's; Charlie turned his head into his older brother's chest and broke down.

Arthur, Remus and Sirius all held Molly as she cried; what Arthur could see of his youngest son was varying shades of blue, black and purple, standing out vividly against the white of his bandages. Fred and George had a hold of each other, leaving Ron, Percy and Ginny to comfort one another in a small group hug. Severus quietly came back into the room and spoke to Poppy.

"I need to go see Draco; he needs to know about this." Poppy nodded and, after speaking quietly to Arthur, Severus left the ward. He quickly made his way down the stairs to his quarters in the dungeons and removed the wards; once inside, he recast them again. Draco was sitting at the small dining table; he looked up at his father from the Transfiguration text he was reading.

"Father? What's wrong? You're horribly pale."

"There has been an accident Draco. Harry was knocked off of his broom by a bludger."

"_**WHAT?**_ He's okay, right? Father, Harry's going to be okay...right?" Draco's voice became very quiet on the last word; he had a feeling that it was much worse than he could possibly imagine.

"At this time, Draco, we just don't know. He has been severely injured; the fall was from twelve metres in the air. Even though Charlie cast a slowing spell and a cushioning charm, the fall broke most of the bones in his body. His skull had been fractured by the force of the bludger." Severus felt a single tear make its way down the side of his nose. "We believe he will live, but we don't know if he'll walk again, let alone when. Poppy said that his spine was intact, but that doesn't mean much with all of the other damage."

The force of Draco's body hitting his made him stumble slightly before he regained his balance. His arms immediately surrounded his son and held the sobbing teenager tightly; Severus shuffled them over to the sofa and he pulled Draco down onto his lap. Severus ran his fingers through his son's hair as the boy cried into his robes. He hadn't wanted to tell Draco how bad it was, but felt that he should know considering how close he and Harry had become.

Draco prayed to all of the Gods he knew of that Harry would come out of this alive and reasonably whole. He knew the damage was probably far worse than his father had said and hoped that his best friend would survive. He gave one more sob before falling into a light, troubled sleep in his father's arms. _Why can't anything good ever happen to Harry?_ was his last thought before succumbing to sleep.

~OOooOO~

Albus was forced to find a replacement teacher for Charles Weasley, due to the fact that he was more concerned about Harry Potter-Black than he was his classes. He had tried to teach one class, but had let the students go early to be by his soul mate's side. He couldn't blame Charles; he knew that, had he tried to force the man to teach his classes, he would have faced opposition from every side. He asked Hagrid to take over Care of Magical Creatures until such time as Professor Weasley was able to resume teaching. Albus was now horribly worried that he had caused this to happen. With everything that he had observed and been told, he realised that his plan to unlock Harry's magical power had gone completely wrong. He had seen the confusion on Harry's face when Charles wasn't with him and began to see that what he had been warned could happen, _**had**_ happened. He was now considering calling the Aurors and turning himself over to them for his crime. He placed his head down in his hands and thought about his options. Light green eyes continued to watch him from the corner.

~OOooOO~

Charlie spent all of his time by Harry's bedside. He took his meals in the Infirmary and Poppy had arranged for a second bed in the private room she had moved Harry into on the day after his fall. It had been one week since the accident and Harry still showed no signs of waking; Charlie was becoming worried that the fall had caused more damage to his head than just a fractured skull. Poppy, out of desperation, had shown him how to cast diagnostic spells to determine Harry's condition; Charlie had been calling her in every half an hour to see if there had been any change.

Almost two weeks into Harry's coma, Charlie noticed that Harry's eyelids were fluttering and his face would twitch occasionally. He called Poppy in, so that she could examine him more closely than he could.

"When did you first notice this, Charlie?" Poppy's voice was low, but he could hear the strain of excitement underlying the cautious tone.

"About 10 minutes ago. I wanted to see if it continued before calling you in. Do you think he might be waking up?"

"I do, Charlie. His brain activity is picking up and he's no longer in the coma. He should be waking soon...I just hope that he'll be the same Harry you knew before the accident. Be prepared for him to have lost some of his memories." Poppy felt that she should warn Charlie about this possibility; Harry's head injury had been severe and the likelihood that he had lost some of his memories was great.

Harry's eyes opened slightly and then shut again on a slight hiss. Poppy dimmed the lights and continued scanning his body. He tried again, opening them more when he realised that the lights were not as bright. "Charlie?" The word was slurred, but instantly recognisable.

"I'm here, Harry." Charlie picked up Harry's hand and held it loosely in his own. Harry's fingers tightened around his before going lax again.

"Wha happen?"

"You got hit by a bludger, my Raven. You've been in the Infirmary ever since."

"How long?"

"Almost two weeks Mr. Potter-Black. You were very lucky to have survived the fall. I don't want you to move much...you're going to be in quite a lot of pain until we can find out what has healed and what hasn't."

"Hurts." The fingers gripped Charlie's again, this time tightening every time a spasm of pain hit him.

"Drink this." Charlie levered Harry's body up slightly so that he could drink the pain potion and not choke on it. Harry made a face, telling them that he hated the taste.

"Whassat?" His words were still slurred and Charlie was worried that the fracture to his skull had damaged some part of his brain.

"It's a pain potion, Harry. It should start to work soon." Harry nodded as the worst of the pains dulled down to throbbing aches.

"Jaw hurts." Charlie saw Poppy's eyes widen as Harry named a body part that she hadn't thought to check after the first diagnostic test. She ran her wand over his jawline and tightened her lips as she found at least two breaks.

"Hold still Harry; this may hurt." She muttered a spell under her breath and a strange squeaking noise found its way out of Harry's throat. "There now...you should be able to speak without too much pain."

Harry slowly brought a hand up to his jaw and gingerly rubbed his hand back and forth against it. "Thank you, Madam Pomfrey. It feels much better." The slurring was mostly gone now, only a slight amount remained in his speech.

"How do you feel, my Raven?"

Harry smiled weakly. "Like I've been hit by a bludger and fell off of my broom." Poppy bustled out of the room and Harry waited until the door closed behind her before speaking again. "I'm sorry...I wasn't planning on falling from that high up."

Charlie sighed with relief, gaining a strange look from Harry. "Love, we weren't sure what you'd be able to remember. With a head injury like yours, the chance of losing some of your memories is pretty high. We still don't know how much all of your injuries will effect you. I tried to stop your fall, but all I was able to do was cushion the ground. Remus managed to turn you so that you wouldn't hit head first. What do you remember about that day?"

Harry's nose scrunched up as he thought. "Not much really. I remember eating breakfast and getting ready to go to the pitch...but nothing after that. It's like there's a huge black spot over that part...and then I woke up. How much time am I missing?"

"Let me ask a few more questions. What day was it?"

"Saturday...why?"

"No Harry, the day and the month."

"...I don't know. Charlie, why can't I remember?"

"What's the last date you remember?"

"I-I can't remember! I remember things that happened, but not when, not the date!"

Charlie sighed, grabbing Harry's hands to calm him. "When is your birthday?"

Harry paled. "I don't know." The words were barely audible. "I can't remember my own birthday!" Harry closed his eyes, trying to keep the tears back. He wasn't successful and Charlie wiped away the ones that escaped.

"Don't get yourself worked up. I told you that you might lose some memories; they may come back with time."

"But why can't I remember my birthday? The one day of the year I should remember...and I can't!" Harry's words were starting to slur together again.

"Calm down, Love, calm down. Don't get worried about this right now, alright? You just woke up out of a two week long coma, there's bound to be some problems to start off with; that will change as you heal. Let me get Poppy." Charlie stood at the door and signalled Poppy to return.

Harry was beginning to hyperventilate; try as he might, he couldn't remember any specific dates. He knew when things had happened, he knew what things had happened, but he couldn't give dates. He was barely aware of swallowing the potion that Poppy held to his lips. He felt his heart stop racing and his breathing evened out; she coaxed him to drink another potion and he felt himself slipping into sleep. Harry tried to fight it, but the potion won.

As soon as her scans told her that the Dreamless Sleep potion was working, Poppy turned to Charlie. "What got him upset?"

"He can't remember specific dates. He can remember what happened, but not the date it happened on. For instance...he knows the Quidditch match was on a Saturday, but he couldn't tell me the exact date. He can't remember when his birthday is; I think that's what upset him the most, not being able to remember that date. His words were also starting to slur again, the more agitated he got. What could that mean?"

"Charlie, he had a severe head injury. No matter how far we advance in the medical sciences, the brain is always going to be a mystery. Certain areas of the brain control certain functions of the body. The left side of the brain, the area where the bludger hit, controls speech patterns and some memories. The bludger hit Harry hard enough to fracture his skull, there is going to be some sort of damage to that area of the brain; whether that damage is only temporary or permanent remains to be seen. He could completely heal and never regain those memories or he could regain them over time. We'll have to wait and see."

Charlie felt tears come to his eyes again as he thought about Harry not being able to remember his own birth date. He could only hope and pray that the damage would repair itself and he would be fine; if not, they would have to find a way to teach him how to remember dates. Forgoing his own bed, Charlie enlarged the bed Harry was lying on and crawled in next to him, needing to be in contact with his soul mate. When Poppy looked back in on them a little later, she smiled slightly at the sight of the larger man curled protectively around his sleeping mate.


	32. Chapter 31

~OOooOO~

After another week in the Infirmary, Harry was allowed to be taken to Charlie's rooms. Minerva had asked the house elves to prepare a second room for Harry and to make it larger than Charlie's room; he would need it for the therapy he was going to have to go through. When Charlie carried him into his room, Harry clung to his soul mate, not wanting to be left alone. Harry was still terrified by the fact that he couldn't remember exact dates and he craved the comfort that contact with Charlie provided.

Severus brought Draco through the internal floo the next day, to see Harry; since Draco had been unable to go to the Infirmary to visit him, Harry wanted to see him straight away. Draco walked into Harry's rooms as Charlie and Severus warded the door and floo to prevent anyone from entering. He sat on the edge of Harry's bed and gently hugged the other boy. Draco could feel Harry's body shake as he cried.

"You're going to be okay, Harry; Charlie and Father will see to that. I'm going to be here, too. Father said that since we're both basically confined to quarters, we will be able to spend most of our time together."

Harry nodded and swiped his face across his shirt sleeve. "I'm sorry for crying all over you, Dray. Can I call you that, please?"

Draco didn't really like the shortening of his name, but, for Harry, he would allow it. "Only you though...well, maybe Charlie and Sirius, too, but that's it." Harry smiled and leaned back against his pillows.

Draco looked around at the room and saw some equipment that he had never seen before. "What is all of that?"

As Harry pointed to each item, he explained its purpose. "That one is a stationary bicycle; I'll use it, when I'm able to sit on my own, to work the muscles in my legs and arms. That one is a rowing machine; it works my arms and legs, but also my back and chest. Those are kettle weights and they're for building the muscles in my arms back up."

"I've never seen this stuff before...where did you get it?"

"They're all muggle exercise equipment; the physical therapist from St. Mungo's brought them over when she came to see me yesterday. She showed Charlie and Severus how to help me with exercises, once I'm able to start them. I have to wait until the rest of my bones are completely healed before I start, though. Should be about another month before I can start my therapy."

Draco hauled in a deep breath; he hadn't thought that Harry's injuries were quite this bad. It just proved that his father hadn't told him the complete truth. "Why didn't Father tell me how bad it was?"

Harry put a hand on top of Draco's. "I think he didn't want to worry you. You have enough to go through without worrying about my condition. He told me that you didn't know about all of my injuries and said that I should tell you about the rest when I saw you." Harry went into further detail about his head injury and the fact that he couldn't remember actual dates, just the things that happened on those dates. Draco scooted closer and pulled his friend gently into his arms.

"Do they think you'll be able to remember dates after you've finished healing? And what about your talking? I hear slurring when you talk."

"Well, about the slurring...the bludger hit me hard enough to fracture my skull. Madam Pomfrey said that where it hit, the left side of my head, is one of the parts that controls speech patterns and memories. That's what's causing the slurring and the memory loss. I should get over the slurring as it heals, but it may take a while; they don't know about my memories."

"Will you never be able to remember another date, or is it just the ones from before you were hit?"

"So far, it's just the ones from before I was hit. At first I couldn't remember my birth date, and I got really upset. Charlie told me what it was and, since then, I've been able to remember it."

"When is your birthday?"

"31st July." Harry smiled at his friend as Draco let out a sigh of relief.

~OOooOO~

Ron and Hermione knocked on the door to Charlie's rooms and waited for someone to answer; they didn't realise the panic they had caused the occupants of the suite simply by knocking. Severus strode into Harry's room and stopped the two boys mid conversation.

"Harry, Ronald and Hermione are here to see you. Draco, you are going to have to either leave now or start your act as soon as they walk in the door."

Draco looked at Harry, who shrugged in reply. "Let them in...I'll just act scared and you'll have to remove me then. None of the other students have seen me since the end of last term and it be good for the Death Eater's kids to know that I am 'not well'." Severus nodded and left the room.

"Be prepared for me to grab onto you a little. I'll try not to hurt you, but I can't guarantee it."

"Alright...get ready."

Ron and Hermione cautiously opened the door, having been warned that Draco was with Harry and he didn't react well to being startled. As soon as Harry looked up and smiled at them, Draco's head swung around to see what he was looking at. His eyes widened and he made a dive for the opposite side of the bed, where he curled up and began to whimper and rock back and forth. Harry put a calming hand on his shoulder and Draco let out an unearthly shriek and began to babble incoherently about Death Eaters and Dark Lords. Hermione's eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hand; Ron wrapped an arm around her waist and dragged her out of the room.

Severus pushed past them into the room, appearing only a moment later with a visibly shaking Draco in his arms. Severus nodded at Charlie as he walked to the floo and, before anyone could say anything else, they were gone. Hermione sat down in a nearby chair and began to cry; Charlie put his arms around her, trying to comfort her, as Ron crept back into Harry's room. Harry sat on the bed, tears in his eyes, as he wrapped his arms around his chest. Draco had accidentally hit his chest with his arm and now Harry was in pain.

Ron stuck his head back out of the door. "Charlie, Harry needs a pain potion; do you have one?"

Charlie grabbed two phials from the table and almost ran into Harry's room. Ron came back out to hold Hermione, trying to comfort her like Charlie had. They had both been warned about Draco's behaviour, but nothing could prepare them for seeing it first-hand.

Charlie came back out and closed the door behind him. "I gave Harry a sleeping draught in addition to the pain potion. Until he's healed a little more, he needs to take the two together; sleeping helps with the healing."

"Charlie, what happened to Draco? We knew that he wasn't dealing with his parents' deaths too well, but we weren't expecting _**that**_!" Ron ran a hand through his hair and looked up at his brother.

"He wasn't like that in the beginning, but as time went on, he figured out that You-Know-Who was responsible for his parents' deaths. Now, he's so nervous that, to him, everyone is a Death Eater, except for me, Harry, Severus and sometimes Sirius. He doesn't deal well with other people right now, but Severus and I thought that, because you had been his friends before all of this happened, he wouldn't associate you with that. I guess we were wrong...I'm sorry."

Hermione looked up at Charlie. "Why are you sorry? We're the ones that should be sorry; we scared Draco so badly that Professor Snape had to take him back to their rooms."

"I just don't want you to feel bad because of what happened. Draco can't control his reactions to people right now...perhaps not ever again. Severus said that he doesn't know how Draco will react to anyone in strange situations. Harry and I have been staying with him when Severus has to go somewhere, like Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley." They had all been over this version of the story several times, just to make sure that Harry, Charlie and Sirius had everything down pat. Severus wanted all three of them to have the same story with no differences; it would make it easier in the long run if they didn't have to go back and forth, telling each other what they had said to someone else.

As Ron and Hermione left the suite, Charlie heaved a deep sigh. Sometimes he wished that he could have just taken Harry out of Hogwarts when Sirius had suggested it during the Yule Ball.


	33. Chapter 32

~OOooOO~

Harry healed slowly. After a month of recuperating, he began his physical therapy. The healer from St. Mungo's came to the school once a week to work on exercises with Harry, those that Charlie couldn't help him with. The rest of the time, Charlie, Sirius and Severus worked with him on the various machines that the healer had brought. Draco, Ron and Hermione also learned how to help Harry, but at different times, of course.

After that one experience with Draco, Hermione had been to the library to look up Draco's symptoms in the medical texts. Most of his symptoms fit those of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a syndrome where, after a traumatic event, a person's mind can't quite cope with the world around it. He also showed signs of paranoia, in that he thought that everyone was a Death Eater. She was determined to help Draco overcome these issues and spoke to Severus about it.

"Miss Granger...Hermione, while I do appreciate that you wish to help my son, these issues will not just go away. In doing research into PTSD, I have found that muggle psychiatrists have discovered that most mental illnesses have no cure. We can alleviate his symptoms, but his mind has to heal itself. Draco may never be able to function again in the world at large, but, then again, he may be able to; only time will tell."

"I noticed that you called Draco your son, did you adopt him?"

"Yes, Draco is now my son. I would like to see if, eventually, he would include you and Mr. Weasley in his group of 'safe people', but that will take time."

Hermione's face lit up. "I'd like that, and I know that Ron would too; we miss Draco. In fact, Ron is the one who suggested that I look up his symptoms, to see if we could help."

Severus was surprised. He had known that Ronald had accepted Draco because of Harry, but he hadn't realised that the youngest Weasley boy considered Draco to be his friend. "I will see if Draco would allow small amounts of time with you, Ronald and Harry. If he gets used to you being with Harry, it might make things easier on him." Severus made a mental note to discuss this with his son that evening.

~OOooOO~

Albus reached for another lemon drop and was disappointed when he found the bowl empty. He looked around his office for the little paper bag that he always kept there, but it was nowhere to be found. Standing, he walked over to the floo and threw a pinch of powder into the flames. "Minerva McGonagall."

After a moment, the Deputy Headmistress' head appeared in the flames. "You called Albus?"

"Yes, I can't seem to find my lemon drops; do you still have my emergency supply?"

Minerva's lips lifted at the corners and she nodded. "Yes Albus, give me a minute and I will be with you." Her head disappeared from the flames and Albus settled himself back in his chair. He didn't know why he couldn't function without the sweets, but they always seemed to keep him going...it must be the amount of sugar in them. The fire flared green and Minerva stepped out of the hearth holding a medium-sized paper bag.

"Here they are. Fortunately, I placed a preservation charm on them, otherwise I'm not sure they would be edible. It's been a while since you've run out."

Albus thought about her statement. "You know, Minerva, you're right. I should have run out long before now. I suppose that I'm not eating as many of them." Albus took the bag from her and poured some into his candy dish, completely missing the thoughtful look on his colleague's face. She watched as he popped one into his mouth; his expression changed to surprise. "These are sweeter than the last batch, I wonder why? Oh well, I suppose different batches will taste slightly different."

Albus left the room for a moment. Minerva grasped the opportunity and conjured an identical candy dish full of lemon drops. She shrunk down the dish that had been on the Headmaster's desk and slipped it into her pocket. She was going to have Severus test the dish; there should be residue from the last lemon drops in the bottom of the dish.

"Albus, I have to get back to my office now. Will you need anything else?"

"No, Minerva. Thank you for bringing those to me."

"You're welcome." She flooed back to her office and immediately headed down to the dungeons. She knocked on the door of Severus' quarters and waited for him to answer the door.

"Yes, Minerva?" Severus stood back to allow the older witch entry. She swept past him and turned to face him.

"Severus, I need for you to test something for me." She produced the bowl of lemon drops and enlarged it. "I want you to ignore the candies that are in the dish and test the residue on the dish itself. Look for anything that wouldn't normally be in a muggle lemon drop."

Severus' eyes widened as he recognised the candy dish from the Headmaster's office. "Is there a reason for this request?"

"I am the only one who buys these damn things for Albus, since he doesn't have time to do it himself. He should have run out of the supply he had long ago, but he only called me today to replenish his stock. I'm afraid that someone has been tampering with the Headmaster's sweets. It might explain some of his actions."

Severus nodded and swept out of the living area into his private lab, leaving Minerva to show herself out.

~OOooOO~

Four hours passed as Severus tested the sugar in the bottom of the candy dish. Finally, after picking up traces of a potion in some of the sugar, he tested the entire bowl by dipping it into a potion specially made for revealing poisons and other such dark potions. When he saw the results, Severus sealed off his private lab, allowing no one entry until he returned. He strode over to the floo and called Minerva.

"Yes, Severus? Have you discovered anything?"

"I have, please come through." Severus paced in front of the fire until Minerva stepped out of the hearth. "I hadn't made much headway until I decided to test the entire bowl. Follow me, please." He led her to his lab and lifted the seals so that they could enter.

He showed her the results from the first tests and then the second to last test, indicating the presence of a dark potion. "After I saw those results, I placed the entire bowl in the cauldron, hoping to lift out whatever was on it. I was astonished to see the bowl disintegrate. If you look at the cauldron now, the potion in it is green. If the bowl was glass, it wouldn't have disintegrated and the potion would be clear. I've not seen this potion in many years...it is a liquid version of the Imperius Curse. The brewer would have complete control over Albus' actions and words. The potion would also have made the candies a bit on the bitter side."

"Albus did say that the lemon drops I gave him were sweeter than the ones that he had just finished. Does the potion wear off?"

"Yes...it should be out of his system by tomorrow evening. But we now have a larger problem."

"What is it?"

"Who created the bowl out of this potion...and why?"


	34. Chapter 33

~OOooOO~

Albus Dumbledore rarely, if ever, second guessed his own actions; normally he had everything well planned and thought out far in advance of ever needing said plan. He began to look back over his actions of the last two years and realised that they didn't seem like something he would do. As he mulled over this finding, he reached for another lemon drop and popped it into his mouth. He stood and walked over to the hearth and fire-called his Deputy Headmistress.

"Minerva McGonagall."

After a moment, Minerva's head appeared in the green flames. "You called me, Albus?"

"Yes, please come through. I have something I wish to discuss with you." He started pacing the floor in front of his desk, now intent upon the outcome of this conversation. He watched quietly as his Deputy Headmistress settled herself in a comfortable armchair. "Minerva, I need you to hear me out completely before saying anything." At her nod, he continued. "I have been thinking about some of my actions recently and have realised that I have not behaved how I normally would. I have put my own wishes and desires ahead of what is best for the students. I think it would be best for me to step down as Headmaster of this school and for you to step up in my place. I fear I have done irreparable harm to Harry Potter-Black and Charles Weasley. I am not sure what exactly I have done, but I know that I am responsible. I'm certain that you have noticed Mr. Potter-Black's odd behaviour and I know that there are stories circulating around the school as to the cause; I am afraid that _**I**_ am the cause."

"Albus, before you do anything, if you are concerned about your actions and that they may not have been your own, we need to have Poppy and Severus examine you. Between the two of them, they would be able to find any problem, whether physical, mental or otherwise. Come with me to the Infirmary; we will ask them to run several scans on you to see if there is a logical explanation for this. Do you agree?" Minerva couldn't believe that, just hours after discovering the issue with the candy dish, Albus was requesting her to take over his duties. The potion must be wearing off fairly quickly for him to be regaining his own personality this soon. Albus nodded and handed her his wand; he followed her to the Infirmary, where Minerva fire-called Severus to have him join them.

~OOooOO~

Late that night, Severus called a meeting in Charlie and Harry's quarters; he and Minerva wanted to let everyone know what had happened and what the results of the tests had been. Once people started arriving, a spell was cast so that none of them could mention what was said to anyone who was not in that room. Lucius and Narcissa arrived, heavily glamoured and under disillusionment spells, and stood in the back, closest to Charlie's bedroom; they could just go in there if anyone tried to gain entry to the rooms. Severus was the only one to know that they were even in the rooms.

Severus looked around and, seeing that everyone had arrived, began to tell them what had happened. He started with Minerva suspecting that the sweets were responsible for Albus' behaviours and finished with the scans that he and Poppy had run on Albus. "The results were very interesting and definitive. For at least two years, Albus has been fed a steady supply of a very invasive potion. The potion itself is not illegal, but it's effects are."

Sirius looked at Severus in confusion. "How can the effects of a legal potion be illegal?"

"Good question, Mutt, please listen. The potion is a liquid version of the Imperius Curse. One dose is not enough to make anyone do anything; however, over the course of several weeks or months, the build-up of the potion in the victim's blood will cause them to do whatever the brewer wants them to do. The brewer need not even be there to give the instructions to the victim...as long as the instructions are stated aloud, in a room that the victim spends time in, the potion will cause the victim to follow the instructions of the brewer. This is what has been happening to Albus. The dish that he keeps those infernal lemon drops in was a solid form of the potion; it leached the potion into the sweets slowly, so that he got an almost constant dose. Fortunately for Albus, the potion leaves the body within 36 hours of being ingested."

Remus looked thoughtful. "So, if the bowl was made of the potion and he also had tainted sweets, he would be under this person's control for an indefinite length of time."

"Correct, Wolf. He just ran out of the older sweets today and had Minerva bring her supply of them to his office. That means that he has had no contact with the brewer for at least two weeks, since Minerva said that he usually keeps about two weeks worth of lemon drops in his office. We need to think of someone who has been here for at least two years, but has been away for the last two weeks."

Everyone looked around as they mentally ran through the list of everyone in the school. Severus thought about his Slytherins; Minerva, about the teachers; Ron and Hermione thought about Gryffindor House. Everyone was stumped until Remus thought of someone that no one would ever suspect.

"Harry, Charlie, you wouldn't have known this, but everyone else will. There's one person who fits that description. Does everyone remember when Aurora Sinistra was struck down with that unknown illness in the beginning of Harry's third year? We were never able to find out what the illness was, but she was unable to continue teaching. She was replaced by Devon McAndrews, who has remained in the position of Astronomy professor for the last two years. McAndrews has been away for the last week and a half; first he attended the funeral for his grandmother and then he stayed to help his parents. He's the only one that would fit every description."

Minerva's eyes widened and then narrowed. "He was top in his Astronomy class when he attended here, but it surprised me when he was recommended for the position; I hadn't thought that he would make a good teacher." She turned to look at Harry and Hermione. "How is his teaching?"

Hermione made a face. "He's alright, not great, but passable. He's not nearly as good as Professor Sinistra was."

Harry thought before answering. "He always seems to be very interested in what I'm doing, no matter what it is. Could he be the one? That would make him a Death Eater, wouldn't it?"

Severus nodded. "There are several new Death Eaters who always wear glamours, with the permission of the Dark Lord. He may well be one of them. I have a personal spy who is looking into who the newest Death Eaters are; this person offered their services to me in exchange for my protection to avoid becoming a Death Eater. I will ask if McAndrews is one of the newer recruits. I may not receive an answer for several weeks, but, once the Christmas holidays have started, my spy should be able to get some information to me about it. I will speak with them soon." Severus was not going to let Minerva know that his spy was Gregory Goyle; it was bad enough that the boy had offered his services as a spy, but if the Deputy Headmistress found out about it...he would lose his position.

~OOooOO~

Severus didn't have to wait until the Christmas holidays to find out. He called Gregory Goyle to his office the next evening, after dinner; what the boy had to tell him was enlightening, to say the least.

"Father sent me a list of people to go to if I needed help. Not surprisingly, all of them are Death Eaters; you're number one on the list." Greg handed the list to Severus and sat straight in his chair; he was hoping he had done well by asking his father who he could go to if he needed advice or any kind of help to avoid Dumbledore.

"I had hoped that I would be; I wasn't sure after I gave the Dark Lord the latest information about my son's condition." Severus scanned the list, noting that most of them were not anywhere near Hogwarts. Only his name and those of Vincent Crabbe, Pansy Parkinson and Devon McAndrews were close by. "McAndrews, is he new?"

"Yes sir. I wrote back and asked about him and how trustworthy he is, but haven't received an answer yet. I know he's new because he wasn't on the list last year, but he's been here for two years. I was kind of surprised to see his name because he seems to be neutral."

"Obviously not. I think I need to speak with Professor McAndrews when he comes back from his leave; I want to know exactly where he is in the Dark Lord's standings."

"Father said that, now that Lucius Malfoy is dead, you are his most trusted Death Eater. Sir, isn't that awfully dangerous for you?" Greg was sincere in his desire not to become a Death Eater and he was very concerned for his Head of House.

"Thank you for your concern Gregory. I do appreciate it; with your assistance I should be able to remain on your list for the foreseeable future. You and I need to work together to find out exactly where McAndrews stands. As soon as you receive an answer from your father, please let me know."

Greg nodded and left Severus' office. He went back to the Slytherin dorms, making plans all the while on how to ingratiate himself with Professor McAndrews.


	35. Chapter 34

~OOooOO~

"Attention Everyone!" Minerva McGonagall's voice rang out over the student's conversations; they immediately quieted and looked to the head table. Minerva nodded, thanking them, and then drew breath to impart her news. "As of today, Headmaster Dumbledore will be taking an extended leave of absence from Hogwarts. His health is in question and he made the decision to take this leave with the approval of the Hogwarts' Board of Governors. I will be assuming the position of Temporary Headmistress and Professor Snape will be filling my position as the Temporary Deputy Headmaster." Small conversations broke out all across the Great Hall; many were wondering what was wrong with the Headmaster, others were wondering just what this would mean for the school.

Severus watched the Slytherin table closely, noting who smiled and who didn't. He saw the look of abject fear on two of his Slytherins' faces and made a mental note to speak with Theodore Nott and Tracey Davis at some point that evening. He didn't know if their fear was because of Albus leaving or because he had been appointed Deputy Headmaster; he needed to know if they were, like Goyle, afraid of becoming Death Eaters or if they were simply neutral and didn't like that a known Death Eater had been given such a high position.

Severus looked to his right and noticed the smug look on the face of Devon McAndrews; the Astronomy Professor had returned to the school the prior day and had immediately sought Severus out.

"_Devon...to what do I owe this pleasure?"_

"_I've been asked to tutor one of the Slytherins and wished to find out which subject the child needs assistance in."_

_Severus raised his eyebrows. "I was not aware that one of my students required tutoring; which one is it?"_

"_Gregory Goyle. His father asked me to see that the boy understood everything. I believe that his father thinks that Mr. Goyle is not applying himself as he should be."_

"_Ah, Mr. Goyle. You may write to his father to let him know that your assistance is not necessary. Mr. Goyle came to me and asked for my help with his classes. I believe that I will be more than adequate to tutor Mr. Goyle in any other subjects that the boy wishes to learn more about." Severus stressed the word 'subjects' slightly, so that the other man understood that Severus would also be speaking to Goyle about joining his father amongst the Death Eater ranks._

_Professor McAndrews smiled and nodded his head. "I had wondered if you had heard. I believe that Mr. Goyle will be safe in your more than capable hands. I will write to his father at once."_

_Severus inclined his head slightly, thanking McAndrews for the compliment, and left._

Severus now knew that he would have to be on his guard around Devon McAndrews; just what position he held within the Death Eater ranks Severus had not yet determined. He had spoken with Minerva and they had decided that Professor Devon McAndrews would have to be taken care of; there could not be a loyal Death Eater on the staff at Hogwarts.

Severus leaned forward slightly and caught Remus' eye. Remus nodded and made a gesture to his watch indicating that they would meet after their second class. They both had a free period at that time and would discuss this then. Severus nodded in his direction and then applied himself to his breakfast.

Two hours later, Severus answered a knock at his office door. He opened it and ushered Remus inside quickly; he wanted no one to see the werewolf speaking with him. Once Remus had settled in a chair and Severus had warded and silenced the room, he turned to face Remus. "McAndrews all but admitted to me that he is a Death Eater. Minerva and I decided last evening that he will have to be taken care of. I think that this is something that is right up the Mutt's alley."

"I agree...if he's the one who has been poisoning Albus, he needs to go. I'll get Sirius here and we can talk more about how much he can do."

"Do you think he could drain him so much that McAndrews cannot function as a teacher here?"

Remus chuckled. "I _**know**_ he can. After a few sessions with Sirius, McAndrews won't be able to think straight, let alone teach anybody anything. Sirius will know when to stop, so that he doesn't drain all of his magic, just most of it. We'll have to let Poppy know that she shouldn't do anything to heal McAndrews when he goes to her."

"I'll talk to her...you talk to your Mutt." The two men parted ways, Remus leaving via the floo and Severus stepping into his quarters. They had to be quick about this or they risked McAndrews learning about Draco. Not that anyone else really knew what was going on, but that was something that Severus couldn't allow to happen. Like Harry, Draco must be kept safe.

~OOooOO~

Harry was bored. He had finished all of his homework and was waiting for Professor McGonagall to come for his Transfiguration lesson. He heard a sound at the door and, knowing that it wasn't time for his lesson, he levered himself off of the bed and crawled into the closet, his legs dragging behind him. He cast a disillusionment spell on himself and waited; if it was someone who was supposed to be in Charlie's rooms, they would make their presence known to him. He heard nothing other than the sound of something rustling in the living room. He tried to breathe as quietly as possible, but he was beginning to hurt; he must have bumped something when he was trying to get to the closet.

Devon McAndrews peeked his head around the door and looked around Harry's room; not seeing the boy anywhere, he confidently strode into the room and looked even further, taking note of the exercise equipment. Harry watched this and held his wand at the ready; if McAndrews came any closer to his hiding place, Harry was going to stun him. The teacher snorted slightly at the muggle equipment and turned to walk closer to the closet. Harry quietly cast a stunning spell at the teacher and smirked as the man dropped to the ground; he dragged himself out of the closet and cast the full body bind on the incapacitated man. He heard the sound of the floo activating and panicked; he didn't have the strength to get back into the closet. He looked around frantically, trying to figure out where to go when he heard a strangled gasp come from the doorway; he looked up and pointed his wand at the person standing there.

~OOooOO~

Severus was teaching the third year Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff class when Minerva fire-called him. He dismissed the students and allowed the call.

"What is it Minerva?"

"I need you in Charlie's quarters at once! Something has happened." Her head disappeared from the flames.

Severus threw some powder into the hearth and stepped into the floo, calling "Professor Weasley's quarters!" as he went. After a small bit of spinning, he stepped out into Charlie's rooms to see Poppy running scans over Harry, who was lying on the sofa. Minerva called him into Harry's room and he left the room to see what Minerva had found. He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Devon McAndrews lying on the floor, unconscious and in a body bind.

"I found him like this with Harry on the floor next to him. Harry had heard someone come in to the rooms by the door and, knowing that I would come by floo, he got himself off of the bed and dragged himself into the closet. He said that McAndrews looked around before coming to where Harry was hiding; he stunned McAndrews and then put him into the body bind. That's when I got here. Severus, what do we do?"

"First of all, is Harry injured?"

"He hurt himself by getting off of the bed, but he knew that he couldn't be found there; he would have been too vulnerable. Poppy's taking care of him, as you saw. What do we do with him?" She indicated the man on the floor. "We can't have him see you in here, but you're the only one who knows Legilimency well enough to basically force a confession out of him."

"No, I can't do that. Lupin and I came up with a plan. Get him and Black over here immediately. Someone needs to inform Charlie that Harry is hurt again, if the bond hasn't told him already." They both heard the sound of the door slamming against the wall as it was thrown open.

"Harry! Poppy, what happened?" Charlie's voice was distraught and he didn't allow the medi-witch time to answer him. "What happened? Is he alright? What happened?"

Minerva and Severus walked out into the living room and Minerva explained what had happened. Severus told him what Sirius was going to do and how it would affect the Death Eater. While Minerva fire-called Remus and Sirius, Poppy walked into the bedroom and placed an even stronger spell on the man to keep him unconscious until Sirius could arrive. Charlie carefully picked Harry up and moved him into his own bedroom; he would be switching rooms with Harry, if he found his room to have too many bad memories now.

Sirius and Remus arrived and immediately headed into Harry's room. They locked themselves in and silenced the room, so that no one would know exactly what had gone on in there. Twenty minutes later, Sirius walked out, followed by Remus. "Poppy? There's a man on the floor in there who needs your help. I didn't take it too far, but that's only because Remy stopped me; he wanted to hurt my godson, that's unforgivable." Sirius walked out of the room, followed closely by Remus. Everyone left them alone; no one wanted to be that close to an angry psychic vampire.


	36. Chapter 35

~OOooOO~

Severus grabbed Sirius' arm as he passed by the unnaturally dark alcove Severus was hiding in. As Sirius spun around, wand drawn, Severus cast a privacy bubble over them. "Have you recovered?"

Sirius nodded and put his wand away. "It took me a while; siphoning off all those emotions from a Death Eater is enough to make a person sick. Is _**he**_ going to recover?"

"According to Poppy, he won't ever regain complete use of his magic again...he'll be little more than a talented squib." The smile that graced Severus' lips was enough to scare Sirius; the man just didn't look quite right when he smiled like that.

"What do we do now? Someone's going to figure out what happened."

"Not even Albus knew of your 'abilities', why would anyone else figure it out?"

Sirius sighed. "I know that Poppy and Minerva were the only staff here that knew, but what about everyone else? Who else knows what I am?"

Severus thought for a moment before naming people. "Myself, Lucius, Remus, Poppy, Minerva, James, Lily and Peter were the only ones who knew. Does Harry know?"

Sirius shook his head. "No, he knows that I'm something, but he doesn't know what. Remus and I made a decision not to tell him. I'm fairly certain that Charlie knows, but he won't say anything because it would put Harry at risk. Can you tell from an examination exactly what drained McAndrews?"

It was Severus' turn to shake his head. "No, all the scans will show is that he experienced a massive drain on his magic that affected his core; it won't say what caused that drain. We are going to have to be careful from now on, though. I would suggest telling Charlie, so that he doesn't think you'll go after him or Harry. Tell him that, even knowing what you were, you never fed from anyone who was close to you or meant anything to you." Sirius agreed and left to find Charlie.

Severus watched his friend walk down the hall, mentally thanking every god he could think of that Azkaban hadn't stolen Sirius' sense of right and wrong. Now, Severus just had to figure out how to tell the vampire and the wolf that he had found the Dursleys.

~OOooOO~

Harry spent the next two days being pampered by Charlie in their rooms. Even after the four years he had spent away from his relatives, he still was not used to the attention. He knew, in his heart, that what Vernon had done to him was wrong, but his head had been messed with so much that it was hard to believe that he could deserve such treatment. Harry still had nightmares about his time with the Dursleys; normally he put up silencing spells, so that no one would know about them. The first night back in his own room, Harry forgot to cast the _Silencio_ that would keep Charlie from hearing him.

Charlie woke to piercing screams coming from Harry's bedroom and raced in there. Harry was writhing on his bed, obviously in the grip of a very strong nightmare. Charlie started talking to him even before he left the doorway, so that his voice wouldn't startle Harry. He cautiously walked up to Harry's bed and gingerly sat on the edge, placing one hand on Harry's arm. To Charlie's surprise, Harry calmed instantly and woke.

"Char?" The word was almost unintelligible, but Charlie knew it was his name.

"Yeah, it's me; are you okay, Love?"

"No." Harry almost whimpered as the nightmare came back to him in startling clarity. He tried to bury his head under the covers, but was unsuccessful.

Charlie pulled the shaking teen into his arms and held him tightly. "Talk to me, Harry...tell me about it. Sometimes it helps to share."

"T-the D-Dursleys." That's all that Harry had to say; Charlie immediately knew that the nightmare had been about his abuse at the hands of his relatives. He began to rock his mate gently back and forth, hoping that Harry could feel the comfort he was trying to send him over the bond.

_Talk to me...please? I know you may not want to, but I want to help you with this. The memories may never go away, but let me take some of your pain._ They hadn't used the mind link for almost a year, but it was still easy to send his thoughts to Harry. He felt a burst of anguish just before detached images floated through his mind.

A large whale of a man coming at him with a leather strap...ropes binding his arms to the wall of the basement...intense pain in his feet and legs, going all the way up his spine...blistered skin burning under the summer sun again...extreme hunger and thirst...a fear of dying of starvation.

Charlie became aware of Harry calling his name as he was pulled away from the images. Harry hadn't intended on sharing that with Charlie, but the bond had basically forced him to. He could tell by the horror on Charlie's face that his abuse was worse than he had thought it was; Harry was wondering if he should say or do something when he felt Charlie's arms wrap around him again; Harry could feel the shaking of Charlie's shoulders and realised that he was crying.

"Don't, Charlie! It's over...Mum and Dad rescued me from that. They made sure that I never had to go back...please don't cry!"

"How could someone do that to a child? I know we talked about that before, but seeing what you went through just makes it harder to understand." Charlie's voice was thick with the tears he was trying not to shed. "I wish you'd never had to go through that, that you'd never had to find out how depraved people could be. You're mine now, I won't let anything like that ever happen again...you know that, don't you?"

"Yes, I know." Harry nodded as he spoke, emphasising his words. "Besides, no one knows where they are; they still haven't found them."

Charlie nodded and pulled his mate in closer to his chest, basking in the comfort. What had started out as him trying to comfort Harry had turned into Harry comforting him. Since Harry's accident they had become much closer, learning many things about each other that they hadn't known before. When it became time to consummate the bond, the time they had spent together would only help solidify the bond.

Charlie knew that he was beginning to see Harry in more of an adult light, but that Harry was not yet ready to complete the bond. He didn't know that Harry had already begun to have romantic feelings for him and was looking forward to completing the bond when he turned sixteen.

~OOooOO~

Voldemort was angry...very angry. His newest spy inside of Hogwarts had done something stupid and was now little better than a squib. Devon McAndrews couldn't remember what had happened to him, only that he had been in Potter's quarters, looking for the brat. He woke up in the school's Infirmary the next morning, unable to use what little magic he still had. Voldemort grew still as the scenario rang a distant, dusty bell in his mind; when he couldn't remember why the situation sounded familiar, he angrily shook his head and moved on to other thoughts.

He was still as weak as a kitten; Severus had found no potion that would be able to change his physical or magical strength. If he remained this weak, he might as well go up to the Potter brat and surrender; the chit would be able to kill him with the simplest of spells. If only Lucius hadn't been killed...Voldemort still hadn't found out who had killed his greatest advisor. The loss of Lucius and Draco Malfoy was a huge blow to his forces; if Lucius Malfoy could be killed, wouldn't that say the same of their Lord? Voldemort didn't want to find out.

~OOooOO~

Severus, Remus and Charlie felt the temperature in the room drop drastically. All three men were cautiously edging their way to the door of Remus and Sirius' quarters when they felt the icy coldness diminish. Severus had requested that they meet there, instead of in Charlie's or his own quarters because of the boys; he wasn't willing to expose either one of them to Sirius when he was angry.

"When did you find them?" The words were forced past stiff lips and clenched teeth. Remus could almost hear his mate's blood boiling.

"Sirius..." Remus tried to calm down the taller man.

"_**WHEN?"**_ The question was directed at Severus and he almost winced at the desperate note in Sirius' voice; his godson could now be avenged.

"I found them two nights ago, right after you drained McAndrews. It was pure luck that I found them when I did. I had gone back to Spinner's End to bring back some of my more rare ingredients and noticed that the house that Lily and Petunia had grown up in was once again occupied. I watched for a short while and finally saw Petunia Dursley exit the house with her whale of a husband and their equally large child."

"Why didn't you tell me immediately? Why did you wait?"

"I wanted to be certain that it wasn't a temporary residence and that they would still be living there when we went back to confront them. I didn't want to get your hopes up and then dash them when the Dursleys were gone by the time we returned."

Sirius nodded and threw himself onto the sofa in the centre of the room. Remus cautiously walked over to the sofa and sat next to him, pulling Sirius' head down into his lap and running his fingers through the mass of dark curls. "We need a plan."

Severus and Charlie sat in the armchairs and the four of them began to plot revenge for Harry's childhood.


	37. Chapter 36

~OOooOO~

Vernon Dursley hated this new house. It wasn't nearly large enough and was in a horrible neighbourhood, but it had been the right price and no one would think of looking for them there. They had moved from house to house over the last four years, never staying longer than about a year in any one place. Petunia had warned him that, if the Freaks wanted to find them, simply moving about wouldn't stop them; Vernon hadn't listened.

They had been there for three months now and had seen no sign of any Freaks. Petunia had told him, however, that one of the Freaks, Snap or Snape, had, as a child, lived in the run down house at the end of the street. The house looked abandoned, but that didn't mean that this Freak didn't still own it. Vernon wasn't taking any chances and he and Petunia stayed away from that house as much as possible. Dudley was at Smeltings, so there was no chance of him coming into contact with any Freaks.

Vernon and Petunia had just finished dinner when the doorbell went. He looked at his wife and she shook her head, telling him that she wasn't expecting anyone. He heaved his bulk off of the chair and waddled down the hallway to the door; just as he reached it, the door creaked open. He backed away from the door, staring in horror at the four men that walked into his house.

"_**Get out of my house! Get out! You have no right to be here! Get out!"**_

Petunia came out of the dining room and shrieked when she saw the men standing in the house. There was the Snape boy, well...man now, that Black person that Lily had included in her wedding, a slightly smaller man with brownish hair and horrid looking scars across his face and neck; the most frightening one, however, was a very muscular red-headed man. This man had an angry look on his face, which was in direct contrast to the cold indifference on the faces of the other three; both Vernon and Petunia realised that this Freak could do them more harm than the rest.

As Petunia watched, Snape stepped forward and motioned them back into the dining room with his wand; they both remained silent as they followed his instructions. They settled themselves at one end of the table and Black and the unknown brunette sat at the other; Snape and the red-head remained standing.

"Petunia, I am sure you remember me and that you also remember Sirius Black; the gentleman next to him is Remus Lupin. This gentleman," he indicated the red-headed man, "is Charles Weasley. We have come to speak with you about your nephew. You _**do**_ remember him, correct? Harry James Potter?" Since his question seemed to require an answer, Petunia cautiously nodded her head. "Ah, so you do remember the eleven year old child that you abandoned after his first year at Hogwarts. I am glad that you do; it will make your punishment all that much more enjoyable for us. You see, between the four of us, we have taken care of your nephew for the last four years. I was there to rescue him from King's Cross Station; Sirius Black is Harry's godfather and adopted father; Remus Lupin is one of his teachers and Sirius' partner. This gentleman," he indicated the red-head again, "is his soul mate. They are connected in a way that is deeper than any union your small minds could ever comprehend."

While Vernon just stared at the man, Petunia made a small sound of fright. Lily had told her about soul mates and their connections. It was always best to marry your soul mate, even though Lily and her husband had not been; Lily thought that her soul mate was probably someone she would never meet. Unbeknownst to anyone, Petunia had a sixth sense about things and she had known that Lily was correct; her soul mate was somewhere in the United States, somewhere Lily would never have the chance to go. Even though they weren't Freaks like Lily and the others, Petunia knew that the punishments for harming a witch or wizard would be infinitely worse coming from that wizard's soul mate; she wasn't looking forward to what the red-head would do to them. She let out another whimper of fear, causing Vernon to look at her in confusion.

"Why are you scared, Pet? What can _**they**_ do to us? We told the old man that we didn't want him, but we were made to keep the Freak anyway."

"Vernon, you don't understand," Petunia hissed in his direction, not aware that the men could hear her words, "that red-head is the Freak's soul mate. He has the right to punish us for past wrongs done to his mate! I can guarantee that he knows what we did and how you beat the Freak."

"We told the old bat that we weren't going to keep him and he put that freaky spell on us so that we couldn't give him away to an orphanage. They took away our rights...an eye for an eye, right?"

"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way, Muggle, not even in your own world." Sirius, Remus and Severus looked at Charlie when he said this. They slowly stood and backed away from the angry former dragon handler; none of them wanted to get in the way of whatever he was going to do. Petunia saw the other three wizards move away from the fourth just as a cold wind began to flow throughout the house. She had been on the receiving end of some of Lily's accidental magic and recognised the start of a bout of it. The wind concentrated itself around the red-head and whipped his hair until it almost stood on end; it made him look larger than he already was. _**"SENTI DOLOREM!"**_ (*)

Vernon immediately stiffened and fell off of the chair, trying to clutch at his feet, whimpering in pain the whole time. Petunia fell over as the worst headache she had ever experienced flashed through her skull. _Must be from when I hit him with the frying pan,_ she thought vaguely. She slowly looked up at the man causing the pain. "How long?" She didn't ask what he had done, somehow she already knew.

"Until he stops hurting."

Vernon's eyes widened. "You can't do this! Undo this at once, you _**FREAK!**_"

Severus thought that Charlie would have done Slytherin House proud if he had been sorted there; his cold smirk sent shivers down the spines of everyone in the room. "No, I won't. Harry has no ending in sight from the residual pain that your beatings have caused; when his pain ends, then yours will. So I have spoken, so let it be." The tip of Charlie's wand glowed bright white for a moment before the light and the wind died out. "Whatever pain you caused him, you will feel; none of your muggle healers will be able to find out what's wrong with you. You might as well stock up on your version of pain potions because nothing any healer can do for you will work."

Charlie turned and left the house; the others followed him. Severus paused at the door and cast a spell that would eliminate Charlie's magical signature; even if the muggles would be able to call in the Aurors, there would be no trace of any magic in the house. One last spell and Severus had removed the memory of their visit; the Dursleys would know why they were in pain, but wouldn't know who had done this to them.

Nothing could make up for Harry's horrible childhood, but this had gone a long way to assuaging everyone's need for revenge.

~OOooOO~

Harry knew something was happening, but Charlie and Sirius refused to tell him what it was. Severus had brought Draco to stay with him during their absence and they spent the time speculating as to where they had gone and what they were doing.

"Wouldn't it be great if they found those poor excuses for relatives of yours and went to get revenge?" Draco's comment fell into the companionable silence about a half an hour into their plot theorising

Harry grinned. "Yeah, but no one's been able to find them in the last four years, why would that change now? Vernon Dursley's not that intelligent; he probably got them all killed years ago."

Draco shrugged and they continued their conversation. Thirty minutes later Harry looked up at the door. "What is it?"

"They're back; Charlie just spoke to me and told me that they'd be down here in a few minutes."

Draco stared at the other teen. "You know, I don't think I'll ever get used to you being able to speak to him like that. Does it hurt?"

"No, it's just strange because I can hear his voice in my head. Back to that conversation we were having yesterday...you think Ginny's cute?"

Draco blushed. "Yeah, a little. I know I can't see anyone until this is all over, well almost no one, but I'd like to learn more about her. You spend time with her...what's she like?"

"She's actually more of a Slytherin than a Gryffindor; I wasn't surprised that the hat had as hard a time with her as it did with me."

Pale blonde eyebrows rose high. "Where did it want to put you?"

Harry smirked slightly. "Slytherin...I talked it out of it."

"Why? Why wouldn't you let it put you where it wanted?"

"Well...there was this pretentious little git who made fun of the first friend I had ever made. When he made it into Slytherin, I figured they were all like that and I didn't want to be placed there. Granted, my first impression was wrong, but I didn't know that at the time." Draco had grace enough to flush slightly.

"I guess I shouldn't have done that. I know now that what I thought about the Weasleys was wrong; I actually miss Ron and Hermione. Father spoke to me about allowing them to be around me and I've been trying to figure out how to do it."

"Why don't we have Severus arrange little bits of time, like five or ten minutes, where the four of us can be together. After a while, you can increase the amount of time that you spend with us. You'll have to let me reassure you during that time, but I'm sure we can pull it off."

Draco nodded. "I can see that working. I'll talk to Father tonight; I'll let him set something up and we'll take it from there. Maybe we can include Ginny after a while." Draco blushed again; Harry thought that they would be good for each other.

They both looked up as the door opened to admit the four adults. Draco stiffened as he saw Remus, but Harry put an arm around his shoulders. "It's alright, Draco. It's just Remus...you remember Remus don't you? He's Sirius' mate; he won't do anything to hurt you."

Draco looked at his father and Severus nodded. It appeared that Draco was going to start allowing others to get closer to him, starting with Remus. It would be good practise for allowing Weasley and Granger into his little circle of 'safe people'. He watched as his son allowed the werewolf to speak quietly with him for a minute before looking back to him. He gently took Draco's arm and led him to the hearth, promising to return once he had Draco settled.

Harry looked at the other three and spoke. "Alright...where were you and why do you look very pleased with yourselves?"

Telling Harry what had gone on took the better part of an hour, but, in the end, he understood why they hadn't told him where they were going. He, most likely, would have been arrested for underage use of magic if he had been able to go with them.

_**~OOooOO~**_

_**SENTIO DOLOREM – Latin meaning 'Feel His Pain'.**_

_**I changed this to Senti Dolorem after being corrected on the proper Latin translation by a reviewer! Thank you for the useful help! If anyone knows a better English to Latin translation site, other than Google Translate, please let me know!**_


	38. Chapter 37

~OOooOO~

By the end of term, Harry had healed enough to take a few shaky steps on his own with the aid of a muggle walker. For the greater portion of his time, though, he was confined to a wheelchair that Bill and Filius Flitwick had adapted to be able to go up and down stairs and manoeuvre to voice commands. On the whole, he was happy with his recovery; he had been told, at the start of his rehabilitation, not to expect to walk again.

Draco had finally allowed Ron and Hermione, and sometimes Ginny, to spend time with him. At first, it had only been in ten minute increments; as time went on, he gradually increased the time and, before they knew it, Draco had allowed them to stay for upwards of an hour at a time. Ginny was blossoming under the shy attentions of the Malfoy heir. Ron was happy about the whole thing; although he might never admit it, he had missed Draco and his sense of humour and he thought that Draco and his sister would be good for each other. Hermione was ecstatic; Draco was starting to overcome some of his PTSD symptoms and, by spending time with them, he was slowly becoming the person he had been before. Neither one realised that the episodes were, in the beginning, carefully choreographed by Harry and Draco, so that it seemed that he was making headway. By the end of term, Draco appeared as comfortable in their company as he had been before.

Severus and Charlie breathed a sigh of relief; this made things so much easier on them. Now they didn't have to worry about things going wrong during Draco's visits with Harry. Remus was still allowed in short bursts, but since Draco had never really been close to him, he wasn't offended if Draco suddenly got up and left the room.

All in all, it had been one hell of a school term and everyone was looking forward to it being over so that they could try to enjoy the summer holidays.

~OOooOO~

Voldemort's closest companions were now a certifiably insane Bellatrix Lestrange and a cautious Barty Crouch, Jr. Ever since the episode in the graveyard, Barty had been almost scared to be near the Dark Lord for fear he would lose a body part next, instead of just his blood. He knew that his Master was far weaker than he should have been and that he blamed Barty for his inability to do the smallest of things by himself; he also knew that it was only a matter of time before the Dark Lord became sick of his presence and he was busily making plans for his escape.

When news of Dumbledore leaving Hogwarts reached their Master, both Bellatrix and Barty had hidden elsewhere in Riddle Manor for several days; they hadn't seen anyone, save for each other and the house elves, when they felt the angry magic from Voldemort dissipate. Bellatrix had been the first to brave entering their Master's presence and had paid for it; while the curses were very weak, they were still painful. Barty had gone in the following day and had been placed under the Cruciatus Curse for several minutes; as it was not nearly as painful as it had been, he was able to withstand it for a longer period of time. After he had been released from the curse, Barty made up his mind...he was going to turn himself in to the Aurors. He'd had enough.

Little did he or Voldemort know, Bellatrix was thinking along those same lines. She might be crazy, but she'd have to be completely mindless to stay with a man who couldn't even use the loo on his own.

~OOooOO~

Severus was contacted very late one night by a jubilant Sirius Black; after being freed, he had rejoined the Aurors on a consulting basis. Earlier that evening, Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch, Jr. had appeared within minutes of each other at the Ministry of Magic building and demanded to be taken into custody. Under Veritaserum, they had revealed that Voldemort was no longer their concern and they wanted to pay for what they had done. Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Head Auror, had almost collapsed where he stood from the surprise. They had been taken to black cells in Azkaban to await trial and were under constant guard by both Aurors and Dementors.

Severus knew that when the Dark Lord woke from his rest the next morning, all hell was going to break loose. There was only one more week of the school term left and he didn't want to have to deal with this now. He immediately fire-called Lucius and Narcissa at the Potter house they were hiding in and told them the news; they became concerned about Severus' safety.

"How do you know that he won't take this out on you, Severus?" Lucius worried that his mate would be harmed by the Dark Lord and then Lucius would have to do something incredibly stupid...like coming out of hiding to avenge Severus.

"I'm certain that he'll try, but, more likely, he'll want to move things faster; if his two staunchest supporters turned themselves in because of what he's become, he's going to try harder to eliminate Harry and his threat."

"Have you told Harry and Charlie yet?"

"No, I wanted to tell you first, so that you know about it if Charlie or Sirius fire-call you to let you know I've been injured. I'm going to wake them now and inform them of this." Severus ended the fire-call and left his quarters, erecting his wards again once outside.

He made his way out of the dungeons and had just started up the stairs from the Entrance Hall when movement and whispering by the doors stopped him.

"David, where are we going?"

"Hush, Jean, let me see if I can remember where I'm going first, before I try to tell you. I know all you can see is broken walls and crumbling stone, but that's not what's really here."

Severus silently backed down the stairs and hid in the shadows at the bottom of the staircase. He watched as Hermione Granger's parents carefully walked across the cavernous Entrance Hall and began to climb the stairs. He stepped out of the shadows as they placed their feet on the first stair.

"What are you doing here and how can you see this castle?" Severus' wand was out and pointing directly at David Granger's chest.

"Severus, please take us to Dumbledore. We need to see him."

Severus' eyes widened as he stared at the man in front of him. "How can you see this castle? You are both muggles."

"My wife is, I am not. I need to explain this to the Headmaster...our home isn't safe anymore."

Severus nodded and led the couple to the Headmistress' office before fire-calling Minerva to come at once. He also fire-called Remus to wake Hermione and escort her to the office as well. As they were waiting, a very anxious Bill Weasley pounded up the stairs and burst through the door.

"Minerva! Minerva!" He stopped suddenly as he caught sight of the Grangers sitting in the comfy chairs in front of the large desk. "How the bloody hell did you get here before me? I just came from your house...the wards alerted me that they had fallen. What happened?"

Before they could answer, Minerva walked into the office from her private quarters and Hermione and Remus entered through the door. Hermione ran to her parents and hugged them tightly, running her hands over them to make sure they were uninjured. As they returned the hug, David Granger looked over his daughter's head and met Remus' eyes. Remus gasped as, suddenly, the eyes changed from blue to a startling grey.

Minerva motioned for everyone to have a seat and she looked at the Grangers expectantly. "Please explain what has brought you to Hogwarts." She had noticed the different eye colour and wanted an explanation.

David took a deep breath and began to speak. "My name isn't really David Granger. That was a name I took when I disappeared from the wizarding world in 1977. I had made some rather nasty mistakes and had to leave; I met Jean very shortly thereafter. She has always known what I am, that I'm a wizard." He looked at his daughter, "That's why it came as no surprise to us when you were accepted into Hogwarts." David took another deep breath. "My name is Regulus Black."

_**~OOooOO~**_

_**A/N: Yes, I know that Regulus was younger than Sirius in the books, but it worked for him to be older in my story. So...Regulus graduated from Hogwarts in 1974 and was born in 1956.**_


	39. Chapter 38

~OOooOO~

Sirius fainted into his mate's arms when he saw for himself who was sitting in Minerva's office.

Remus had fire-called Sirius at Auror Headquarters to have him come to Hogwarts immediately; he hadn't told Sirius why, just that it had nothing to do with Harry and that he and Charlie were safe. Sirius had flooed directly into Minerva's office and started asking questions at once; he hadn't even given anyone time to tell him who the two other people were. Remus had noticed Regulus' intent gaze as he stared at the younger brother he hadn't seen in almost twenty years.

Finally, Sirius calmed down enough to allow Severus to explain what had happened after their fire-call had ended. When it came time to reveal Regulus' true identity, Sirius had turned to the man, looking as if he wanted to start asking him questions...that is, until Regulus dropped the glamours that he had been wearing for the last two decades. Sirius had walked over to his brother and raised a shaky hand to his cheek before fainting clean away. Remus laid Sirius out on the floor and woke him up. _"Rennervate!"_

Sirius woke slowly but then snapped to attention when he remembered why he had passed out. "Reg?" The name was whispered almost reverently. "Is it...is it really you?" Sirius shook his head and turned away. "I'm seeing things...Reg is dead. Mum told me he was." He swung back to face the man with his brother's face. "Who are you?"

Regulus pulled out his wand. "I, Regulus Arcturus Black do hereby swear on my magic that I am exactly who I say I am. I am the older brother of Sirius Orion Black. So I have spoken, so let it be..._Lumos._" The tip of Regulus' wand glowed bright white before the man cancelled the spell. _"Nox."_

Sirius' face crumpled as he gave into tears and dove into his brother's arms. "Said you were dead! They said that Voldemort had killed you! Where the _**HELL**_ have you been?" A sad little whisper that only Regulus heard came next. "Why did you leave me with them?"

"Ah, Siri! If I could have taken you with me, I would have. Mother refused to allow me to see you once I had left Hogwarts and you refused to be re-sorted like she wanted. She told me that she was going to disown you for being a blood-traitor. I begged her not to; by that time, I'd already realised that I had made a mistake in joining the Death Eaters. She and Father refused to listen; they said that you would either come back to the family or be forced to go elsewhere when they disowned you." Sirius' legs refused to hold him up any longer and he sat on the floor, still clinging to his brother; Regulus was forced to follow him. "I tried to see you before I left, but I couldn't find you. I didn't know that they'd already disowned you and you had run away."

Remus walked over to Minerva. "I think we need to get Harry and Charlie in here...or take this down to them. Since Harry's Sirius' son now, he needs to meet his uncle and be reintroduced to his cousin." Remus looked over to where Hermione sat next to her mother. "Do you want to tell Harry tonight or tomorrow?"

Hermione raised stunned eyes to look at her professor. "I...I don't know. If we tell him tonight, we're going to have to go there; there isn't enough room up here for any more people, let alone his chair."

Minerva nodded. "If everyone is agreeable, I'm going to suggest that we go to Professor Weasley's quarters. I think it would be best if Harry was to find out tonight."

Minerva looked at Jean Granger (or Black) and realised that the woman still couldn't see anything but a crumbling castle and probably was terrified that she would fall over stones that weren't actually there. "Mrs. Granger, I can cast a spell so that you can see the castle as it really is. Basically what it would do is cancel the illusion for you; other muggles would still only see the ruins of a once-great castle. Do you want me to do that?"

Jean nodded. "Yes please. I kept thinking that we were going to fall over things or through the floor when we were walking up here." Minerva muttered a spell under her breath and everyone watched as Jean's eyes grew wide as she took in her surroundings. "Dear God! This place is beautiful!"

Hermione hugged her mother. "Now you can see what I always have; now you know why I've always told you that Hogwarts was a beautiful place and that, if you could see, it you would understand why I love it here."

~OOooOO~

Charlie answered the impatient summons at the door, grumbling the entire time. He knew it wasn't to do with Voldemort; Severus would have used the floo if it had been. He was shocked to see a small crowd gathered outside of his door. "What's going on?" He rubbed a hand over his bleary eyes and motioned everyone to come inside; when no one moved, he remembered to drop the wards. "Sorry."

Minerva stepped over to the hearth and turned around to face the group. "Charlie, would you please wake Harry? He needs to be in here for this conversation."

Charlie nodded and went into Harry's room to wake him. "Love? Harry? You need to wake up, Love."

"Hmm...Charlie? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. Minerva and a crowd of other people are here; she said that there's something that you need to hear." He picked Harry up and placed him in his chair, pushing the wheelchair out into the living room.

Sirius heard the swift indrawn breath from his brother as Charlie came back into the room with Harry. He smirked slightly, knowing his brother had neither expected to see a younger version of himself nor to see that young man in a wheelchair. "Siri? What happened?"

"We'll get to that later, Reg. He needs to know who you are first." Sirius stood up as Charlie wheeled Harry to a stop in front of him. "Harry, do you remember when I told you that you now look like my brother Regulus did?" When Harry nodded, Sirius smiled slightly and moved to the side. "Do you think I was right?"

Harry's eyes shot from Sirius to the man sitting on the sofa and then back at his father. "Siri? You said he was dead...that Voldemort had killed him. How can this guy be him, if Regulus Black is dead?" Harry was horribly confused; how could a dead man be sitting on the sofa in his and Charlie's rooms? He felt like he had stepped into a really strange dream, but was brought back to the present when he felt Charlie's arms surround him.

"Sirius, are you sure? Yeah, he looks like you, but still...how can you be sure?" Charlie could feel Harry's confusion through the bond and was trying to reassure him as best he could.

"He swore on his magic that he's my brother Regulus. I guess we should have waited for the morning for this, but I wanted Harry to meet his uncle. Not only that but," Sirius turned to look back at his brother and his wife, "He's been living for the last nineteen years as David Granger." Harry turned to look at Hermione so quickly that Charlie was not surprised to hear his neck crack.

"Hermione?" He watched as his friend nodded and reached for her parents' hands.

"Harry, I would like you to meet my parents, David and Jean Granger...I guess they would also be known as Regulus and Jean Black." She looked at her father. "Would that make me Hermione Black?"

Regulus nodded. "Your birth was registered two different ways. You were listed as Hermione Granger in both the magical and muggle worlds, but I placed a charm on your birth certificate to show that your name is really Hermione Jean Black. I knew I couldn't come out then, but, at some point, being the child of a Black might come in handy for you." He looked at Harry closely. "I suppose you do look a little like me; although, I personally think that you look more like Sirius."

Severus looked at Regulus with undisguised curiosity. "What will you do now? Won't the Dark Lord know you have returned?"

Regulus' head shot up at Severus' wording; only followers of Voldemort called him the 'Dark Lord'. "Are you a Death Eater, Severus?"

Severus looked slightly ashamed. "I bear the mark, but I've never followed him. I was forced to take the mark by both my father and someone in authority. My father thought that it would gain him prestige...the other was so that I could spy."

Harry remembered another time, in his third year, when Severus had used the same wording...'someone in authority'. _**"Dumbledore!"**_

The expression on Severus' face told Harry that he wasn't pleased that he had made the connection; but he acknowledged the truth with a slight nod of his head. "You have guessed correctly, Harry. I was pressed into service as a spy as soon as Dumbledore found out that I was being forced to take the mark. I have been a spy ever since. But, that does not answer my question; won't he know you have returned?"

Regulus shook his head. "I was never marked. Since I had decided to join while still a student, he chose not to mark me right away. By the time he wanted to mark me, I had made up my mind to leave the ranks. He never found me." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "There were several others that were never marked. Since I was a Black, He Who Must Not Be Named trusted me a little more than others; I know who some of them are."

Severus looked like a little boy on Christmas morning. _**"Tell Me!"**_

"Later, Severus, later. Right now, we have to decide what to do about me and Jean. The reason I braved coming back was because we received an owl that told us that it was known we are Hermione's parents and that the wards wouldn't withstand a prolonged attack; I chose not to risk it. Hence, here we are." Hermione hugged both of her parents tightly, thanking the Fates that they had left the house.

~OOooOO~

Ron was in awe when he was told who Hermione's father was; it had been bad enough thinking about what David Granger could do to him, but knowing that he was Regulus Black made it worse. Ron didn't want to think about what a fully trained wizard could do if he found out that he liked his daughter.

Hermione told Draco the next evening, when they had their thrice weekly meeting. He just stared at her for a minute and then nodded. "I knew you were far too smart to be a muggle-born. You knew too much and you accepted everything too easily."

"But, I didn't know who he was or even that he was a wizard." Hermione's protest fell on deaf ears.

"Your magic knows. Don't ask how...it just does." Draco surreptitiously looked at his watch. "Gotta go now." He got up and left the room, flooing back to his and Severus' quarters. The other three were used to this by now and made no comment. Harry had to hide a smile as he realised that Draco had ended the session early; he had been disappointed when Ginny hadn't come and saw no reason to draw it out.

"Mate, do you think Draco's really interested in Ginny? I know she's interested in him and I just want to make sure that she's not going to get hurt." Ron thought that Draco liked Ginny but he wasn't going to guess; he wanted to know positively, before reassuring his sister.

"Yes, he's interested; he's just too shy to say anything. I know that shyness isn't something that you would normally associate with Draco, but I think that all of this has affected more than just his trust of other people."

"Do you think that what we're seeing is the real Draco Malfoy?" Hermione had been trying understand the changes in Draco's personality and was confused by this new facet.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I do. I think, if given the chance, this Draco will go much further than 'the old Draco Malfoy' ever could have."


	40. Chapter 39

~OOooOO~

Severus was trying valiantly to teach a second year Potions class when his Dark Mark flared; the pain was so intense that he almost collapsed in the middle of the classroom. He quickly dismissed the students and called Minerva to his office.

"What is it, Severus?"

"I am summoned. I am assuming that he's discovered what happened to Bella and Barty Crouch; the pain from the mark was much greater this time than any other time recently. I have to go at once."

Minerva nodded and stated that she would cancel his classes for the rest of that day. Severus walked into his quarters and told Draco that he had been summoned by the Dark Lord; he didn't miss the flash of fear in his son's eyes.

"Please be careful, Father. After what you told me about Bellatrix and Crouch, I'm afraid for your safety."

"I know...I can only hope all he wants me to do is formulate a plan to break them out of Azkaban before their trials. Failing that, he might want to move forward his plans to get to Harry. There's only a little less than a week until this term is over; this should be the last time he'll call for me until mid-summer."

Severus left the castle and, once he had stepped beyond the wards, he apparated to Riddle Manor. He calmly walked through the wards surrounding the house, shoring up his mental walls the entire time; now was not the time to be caught out, not now that Regulus had returned.

Severus swept into the 'throne room' and immediately sank to one knee in front of the wreck of a man seated at the far end. "Rise, Severus, and come to me."

Severus stood and quickly strode to the other end of the room where he again knelt in front of the Dark Lord. "What is your wish, My Lord?"

"Look about you, my faithful follower, and tell me what you see."

Severus looked around and realised that only a very few Death Eaters were present. "My Lord? Was it not a call for the Inner Circle?"

"It was...tell me what you _**don't**_ see."

"Where are Bella and Crouch? Were they not summoned as well?"

Severus heard a low growl and swung to face the Dark Lord. "They were, but they are currently residing in Azkaban."

Severus allowed his eyes to widen before schooling his expression to impassivity. "May I ask why? I am not questioning you, My Lord, but were they caught on a raid?"

"I had sent them to scout out a likely location for my next raid, but they never returned. Mulciber informed me this morning that they were taken to Azkaban yesterday."

"Why did he not inform you immediately? Why did he wait?" Severus pretended to be angry for the Dark Lord.

"Ah, my Severus! Such a good and loyal follower you are! If only Lucius had not been killed...with the two of you by my side, I would have been invincible! As it is, there are only a few Inner Circle Death Eaters who have not been captured or killed." Voldemort reached out a hand to trail his skeletal fingers gently down Severus' cheek; Severus had to work hard not to recoil at the look of lust in the red eyes in front of him.

_No! Oh Dear Sweet Merlin __**NO!**_ Severus thought, trying hard to control his facial expression. This was one thing he had never imagined in all the years that he had been spying for Albus Dumbledore; this was something he was _**not**_ willing to do. "My Lord?" Severus tried to keep his voice as steady as possible; he didn't want to let the Dark Lord know how repulsed he was by the thought of being intimate with such a creature.

"Have you ever given thought to becoming more than just my Potions Master, Severus?"

"No, My Lord, I have not. I would not presume..."

"Keep it in mind, my Loyal One. Now, on to more pressing business...how goes Draco Malfoy's rehabilitation?"

Severus produced a smirk from somewhere; the previous conversation had shaken him more than he was willing to admit. "I believe I have made progress. Draco is beginning to come around, but it is taking time. He requires almost constant supervision; but he is slowly progressing back to where he had been before his parents' deaths. I think, in a few more months, he might be close to the Draco he was a year and a half ago."

"Excellent! Keep doing whatever it is that you are doing with him. Once again, do not come unless it is an emergency or I call you."

"As you wish, My Lord." Severus backed out of the room.

Severus held a hand over his mouth and apparated back to Hogwarts where, as soon as he arrived, he doubled over and emptied the contents of his stomach. He made a vow to himself that he would not allow himself to ever be called into the Dark Lord's presence again...no matter what it took.

~OOooOO~

Lucius arrived, via floo, in the quarters of Hogwarts' resident Potions Master; he had been summoned by a panicked call from his son. "Draco what is it, what's wrong?" Lucius' imagination went into overdrive when he saw the tears on Draco's cheeks.

"It's Father, he-he won't tell me what happened, but he was summoned today. He's been sick twice since he got back." Lucius pulled his son into his arms and held him tightly.

"I'll find out what it is; don't worry my Dragon." Lucius released Draco and cautiously entered his mate's bedroom. Severus was lying on the bed with a cool wash cloth over his eyes; Lucius could hear his ragged breathing, telling him that his mate was not asleep.

"Love, what's wrong? Draco called me to tell me that something had happened, but that you wouldn't tell him what it was."

Severus motioned him over to the bed and then cast a silencing charm on the room. "Lucius, in all the years that you served the Dark Lord, did he ever strike you as one who would be gay or bisexual?"

Lucius stared at Severus with confusion in his eyes. "No...never, why?"

Severus told Lucius of what had transpired at the meeting he had been called to that morning, including when Voldemort had touched his face. Lucius paled and pulled Severus into his arms, rocking him back and forth slightly.

"Why didn't I feel it over the bond?"

"I didn't want you to get upset without hearing about it first. I had Draco call you, so that you could hear everything from me. I got sick as soon as I made it back to Hogwarts."

"You can't go back, Love."

"Luc, if he calls me, I have to; he has to think that I'm still loyal to him. He did say, however, that I wasn't to come back unless he called me or Draco is 'healed'."

Lucius snorted. "Since he's never going to be 'healed', at least not while the Dark Lord is alive, you're not going back. If I have to go and personally get Bella and Crouch out of Azkaban, I'll do it!"

Severus smiled slightly. "Love, while I like that you are so protective of me, I won't let you do anything that stupid. Out of curiosity, did your mark burn when he called the Inner Circle?"

Lucius looked down at his arm in surprise. "No, it didn't. I wonder why?"

Severus narrowed his eyes in thought and then they widened. "He can sever the connection! I don't know why I didn't think of that before. It takes a lot of magic to be able to summon that many people at once; why summon someone who will never answer? He never used my mark to summon anyone, but he did use yours; did it hurt when he would use your mark for a summons?"

Lucius shook his head. "No, it never hurt me, but I could feel the magic pouring through the mark when he did. I wonder if my mark was different."

"No, we were marked on the same night. He did nothing different with your mark than he did with mine. I want to know how he severs the connection."

Just then, the alarm for the floo went off, signalling that someone was trying to either come through or make a call. Draco came into Severus' bedroom and stayed there with Lucius while Severus answered the call. It was Charlie, asking Severus to come through, that Harry had something he needed to speak to him about. Severus motioned Lucius and Draco to follow him and they all went to Charlie's quarters.

~OOooOO~

When they stepped out of the floo, the first person they saw was Harry, sitting on the sofa and visibly shaking. He looked up and almost burst into tears at the sight of Severus.

"Are you alright? He didn't do anything else, did he? He didn't touch you again?"

"Harry, slow down...what are you talking about?" Severus sat on the arm of the sofa and placed an arm around the younger man's shoulders, trying to calm him. "Who are you talking about?"

"Voldemort...he didn't touch you again after he touched your face, did he?"

Severus stiffened and looked Harry in the eye. "How did you know about that? How could you _**possibly**_ know about that?"

Harry drew a deep breath before telling the three of them what Charlie already knew. "Ever since Voldemort came back, I've been able to see things from either his or a Death Eater's viewpoint. It doesn't happen all the time, only when Voldemort is feeling a strong emotion; even then, it's still not every time. I didn't know when he broke your arm, but I've seen things since then, like when he held Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch under the Cruciatus Curse for several minutes. I saw today most likely because of what he was feeling when you walked in the room." He looked up at Severus. "You can't go back to him, even if he calls you. When this happens to me, I can hear his thoughts. If you go back, he's going to force you to sleep with him." Harry broke off and shuddered.

Severus dropped down to the floor in shock; he didn't know which shock was worse...the fact that Harry could see the atrocities committed by the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters or the fact that Harry had seen what had happened today and knew what would happen if he went back. He felt two sets of arms surround him and knew that his son and his mate had joined him on the floor. He could feel the comfort and love streaming through his bond with Lucius and could also feel Draco's hands rubbing soothingly on his back. For the first time in his life, Severus Snape was at a complete loss as to how to handle a situation.


	41. Chapter 40

~OOooOO~

Harry and Charlie frantically searched for a way to sever the connection between Severus and Voldemort; after two days they hadn't made any headway until Bill came to visit again. Since he was a curse breaker, he was more than a little aware of what it took to create spells; he immediately went to the Library and brought back a few books from the Restricted Section. Madam Pince had always liked him and had no problem with allowing him to remove books that shouldn't have left the stacks.

"We need to figure out the family of spells that he used to create the dark mark; once we do that, we can easily figure out which type of spell to create to get rid of the connection. We'll need Severus to tell us if he can remember what spell You-Know-Who used to mark him."

Charlie went to the Potions classroom and quietly entered without knocking; he knew a class was in session, but didn't want to disturb them, depending on which potion they were brewing. Severus looked up from his desk and nodded in his general direction, acknowledging his presence. Once the class was over, Charlie walked up to the desk.

"Do you remember what spell was used to create your mark? Bill's here and we're trying to find a way to end the connection."

Severus' eyebrows rose slightly before he answered. "Your brother is helping? I do suppose that he would be the best one for that." Severus' eyes gained a far away look before he snapped back to attention. "I believe that he used the Vocare family of spells. They are the spells used for summoning..._Accio_ is a member of that family."

"Vocare...alright then; Bill's going to see if there's a spell already in existence or if he'll have to create one. This takes us one step closer to getting that connection severed." He knew that Severus wouldn't vocally thank them for their research; the hope in his eyes was thanks enough. "We'll let you know as soon as we've found something. Minerva is allowing us to stay here at the school after the rest of the students have gone; I'm assuming you're staying here with Draco, too."

Severus smiled slightly. "You are correct, Charlie; at this time, I don't think it would be safe for me to remove Draco from Hogwarts or the grounds. If the Dark Lord should find out, all of our efforts will have been in vain; I refuse to place my son at risk like that."

Charlie couldn't blame him in the least.

~OOooOO~

Hermione, Bill and Charlie sat around the small table in the rear of the Library; once Hermione had found out what they were researching, she had promptly sat down and added her knowledge to theirs. Bill felt that they were very close to a breakthrough in finding a spell to sever the connection between You-Know-Who and Severus. Charlie also wondered if the same could be used on Harry's scar to rid him of the visions he kept having.

"I don't know, Charlie." Bill was hesitant about using something like that so close to Harry's brain. "We don't know what kind of an effect this will have on Severus, let alone Harry's scar. Not only that, but You-Know-Who is going to be rather pissed off if it works on Severus. He's going to lose the only means of communication with his 'most loyal Death Eater' if it does work...can you imagine what he'd do if he lost his connection to Harry as well? Has anyone figured out why Harry seems to be connected to him anyway?"

"No, all we can guess is that, when he tried to kill Harry when he was a baby, he formed a link of some kind. It's not like the bond I share with him, but it does give him access to Harry's mind at times. We don't even know if he's aware of the link."

They were interrupted by Greg Goyle walking up to their table. "Professor Weasley? Professor Snape asked me to tell you that he needs you in his office right away." Goyle looked at everyone curiously, but didn't say anything.

Charlie excused himself and calmly walked out of the Library. Once he was where no one could see him, he took off at a run; something must really be wrong for Severus to have asked to see him immediately.

He stopped outside of Severus' office and tried to catch his breath before knocking. "Enter." Charlie opened the door and walked inside, closing it tightly behind him. He almost fell into the armchair in front of Severus' desk, still gasping for air.

"You...you called?"

Severus raised his brows. "You didn't need to run, Charlie; it wasn't that important."

"Bloody Hell! When that Goyle kid told me that you needed to see me right away, I thought you'd been summoned again!"

Severus smirked slightly before regaining his impassive look. "No, nothing like that; I've heard from Lucius. He remembered the spell used for the dark mark is _Statim Meum Secutus_; I've looked it up and it means, roughly, Come Immediately My Follower. I never had the Dark Lord use my mark to summon the Death Eaters, but he did use Lucius'...especially to call the Inner Circle. I think he may have used someone else's mark to call the remaining Death Eaters, but I can't be sure of that."

"Does he have his own mark?"

Severus snorted inelegantly. "Do you honestly think that _**thing**_ would mark his own flesh? No, he doesn't."

"How does he call you if there's no one there?"

"He is never alone. There is always someone in the room with him; he can't remain alone now, especially not in his weakened condition."

Charlie thought about that for a moment, then met the older man's eyes. "I'll go let Bill know about this. I think it may help him with an answer." Charlie left the room and walked back to the Library at a much more sedate pace than he had taken to leave it.

Severus sighed deeply. He hoped that they could sever the connection to his mark soon; he didn't want to be summoned again. He couldn't just ignore a summons; the pain and burning would intensify until he couldn't function and then he'd be automatically apparated to the Dark Lord. He couldn't afford to be anything less than perfectly coherent when in that creature's presence.

~OOooOO~

Two weeks into the summer holidays, Bill Weasley knocked on the door to Severus Snape's quarters, getting stung by the wards reacting to his touch. "OUCH! Bloody Hell, Severus, open the door!"

The door opened slightly and Severus stuck his head out. "Go to my office...I am assuming that you remember where it is; you did spend quite a bit of time there."

Bill childishly stuck out his tongue at the Potions Master and walked another twenty paces down the hall and knocked on that door. He had to wait for a moment and this door opened all the way. "Well," came Severus' voice out of the Stygian darkness inside, "get in here...NOW!" Bill sauntered through the door, confident that Severus would forgive him his cheeky attitude; candles flared into life as Severus waved his wand at them. After arranging his long legs in front of the chair, he looked up at his former professor with a slight smirk of his own gracing his face.

"Dare I hope that there is actually a reason you have disturbed my evening? You frightened Draco so badly when you knocked that it's going to take me several hours to get him out of his room." Severus watched the smirk slide off of Bill's lips to be replaced by his teeth biting into his lower lip. "Do not feel badly; he does that every time someone knocks on the door."

Bill drew a breath and nodded, not liking that he had scared the man's godson. "I think I may have come up with a way to sever the connection."

The simply stated words arrested the breath in Severus' chest. He felt hope flare to life before he ruthlessly stomped it into submission. He couldn't allow himself to get his hopes up; too many had failed before in an effort to get rid of the mark. "How?"

Bill pulled out his wand and motioned to Severus to roll up his left sleeve. The dark mark glared at them from the pale white skin, just daring them to try something. Bill looked up at Severus to get permission before doing anything; after a short pause, Severus nodded.

"_Nunc A Sectator!"_ Bill swished his wand in a complicated pattern above the dark mark before swishing and flicking one last time and touching the tip of his wand to the mark. The mark glowed brightly for a moment before making a peculiar squeaking noise. The glow intensified and then faded, leaving the skin on Severus' left forearm pale and unblemished, as if the mark had never been there.

Severus stared at his arm, not daring to believe that it had actually worked; the mark that had stained his arm for almost twenty years was gone. He raised wide eyes to look at Bill. "What the _**HELL**_ was that?"

Bill shrugged his shoulders before answering. "Harry actually sent me on the path to this spell. The _Statim Meum Secutus_ spell had a counterspell; _Nunc A Sectator_ means Leave Now My Follower. Harry found the Statim spell in a very old spell workbook that Madam Pince had given me, but I hadn't had time to look through; the name of the book, _Basic Summoning Spells For The Beginner_, makes me think it used to be a required textbook. I looked further in the book and found the counterspell. If it weren't so damn serious, I would have laughed; You-Know-Who used a basic spell, straight out of a book. If he had looked further into the book, he might not have chosen that spell because of the counterspell."

Severus barely kept his jaw from dropping open; the Dark Lord had used a spell taken, literally, straight out of an old Hogwarts' textbook. Severus put his head in his hands and giggled quite hysterically, not paying any attention when Bill summoned a Calming Draught and forced it between his lips; he did, however, feel the immediate effects of the potion and sat back in his chair.

"You mean to tell me that, all this time, all of the Death Eaters have been running around, afraid of their mark, which is removable by a simple counterspell? Lucius is going to have one hell of a laugh about this." Severus stood, unconsciously rubbing his forearm. "I must go check on Draco now. You do not know what you have done for me; I will forever be in your debt."

"No, Severus..."

"Do not deny me this, Bill. You have given me the rest of my life; before now, I was living on borrowed time. Whatever time the Dark Lord gave me was all I was going to be allowed. Now? Now that time stretches out in front of me with no end in sight. You have my gratitude. I-I need to tell Draco of this. Please tell everyone that we do not wish to be disturbed." Severus nodded a farewell as he walked back into his quarters, holding on to the wall for support.

Bill stared at the closed door in front of him, shocked almost beyond measure. When Severus had nodded at him, their eyes had met and Bill would swear that there were tears in the older man's eyes. Bill knew that Severus wasn't as nasty as he let on, but he had never seen the man cry before; Bill almost wanted to cry himself, so moved was he by the thought of Draco comforting his godfather and wiping away his happy tears.

_**~OOooOO~**_

_**The meanings of the spells are approximate...I have been told that there is a better translation site than Google Translate, but I haven't found it yet. Sorry about that. If anyone knows a better FREE translation site for English to Latin, I would appreciate knowing about it, too!**_


	42. Chapter 41

~OOooOO~

Bill slowly walked back to the room he had been given; he came to a sudden stop when he played the conversation with Severus over in his mind:

_Lucius is going to have one hell of a laugh about this._

Not Lucius _**would have had**_...but Lucius _**is going to**_... that meant that Lucius Malfoy was still alive! Bill hurried to Charlie's quarters, intent upon finding out exactly what was going on. He knocked on the door, disturbing the occupants of the room.

Charlie and Harry had been cuddling on the sofa, just basking in the closeness that they weren't often allowed. The knock startled both of them and Charlie got up to answer the door. Bill strode past him and came to a stop in the middle of the room. Charlie eyed his brother warily; Bill's hands were on his hips and he looked like he was about to explode.

"What's wrong, Bill?"

"When was anyone planning on telling the rest of us that Lucius Malfoy is alive?"

With the quickest thinking Charlie had ever seen, Harry sat forward on the sofa and gripped the fabric tightly. "What? What do you mean he's alive?" Charlie just dropped his jaw slightly and stared at Bill.

Bill relaxed slightly when he saw that neither one of them had known. "I just came from removing the dark mark from Severus' arm. When I told him where you had found the spell and the counterspell, he said 'Lucius is going to have one hell of a laugh about this'. I took that to mean that Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy are still alive."

Harry sat back against the sofa again, seemingly pondering something. He slumped down even further and sighed. "You know, Bill, this may mean nothing...I've caught Professor Snape several times, speaking as if Lucius was still alive."

Bill thought about that for a moment. "You mean, like the grief hasn't quite caught up with him yet?"

Harry nodded. "It's only been just over a year and they had been together for almost twenty. I'm going to hazard a guess that he still thinks of Lucius as being alive. What person wants to think about losing their soul mate?"

Charlie sat on the sofa next to Harry and put his arms around him. Charlie sure as hell didn't want to think about losing Harry. It had almost happened far too many times for him to be even remotely comfortable thinking along those lines. If something did ever happen to Harry, Charlie knew that he wouldn't last too much longer after that.

~OOooOO~

The next month passed quietly for the inhabitants of the castle; the rest of the students, including Ron, left for the summer holidays. Severus, after being informed of his slip, watched what he said around those who didn't know Lucius and Narcissa were still alive; he had been horribly embarrassed to learn that his relief about losing the dark mark had clouded his judgement and made him say something that he shouldn't have. Regulus, Jean and Hermione settled into quarters near Gryffindor tower; Hermione was extremely excited to be able to stay at the castle, even if it was only for her parents' protection.

Sirius and Remus moved into Grimmauld Place for the summer, inviting Harry and Charlie to come with them. Harry thought about it for a long time before declining; the stairs in the house would have been impossible to navigate with his chair. Though they were disappointed, Sirius and Remus did understand Harry's point; the school was larger and the staircases were more accessible for him.

Harry spent the time being tutored by Severus, Charlie and Minerva, so that he would be able to rejoin his classes come the new term and Charlie would be able to teach again. As much as he loved being pampered by Charlie, he was looking forward to returning to class for his sixth year; he had spent most of his fifth year confined to Charlie's quarters. He was definitely looking forward to seeing his friends every day.

"You know you're going to have to continue to sleep here, right?" Charlie wasn't about to let Harry go back to the dorms where he couldn't watch over him at night.

"I know...I wouldn't be able to transfer myself to the bed very easily and I don't want Ron to feel like he's obligated to do that for me. Then there's bathing; I need the shower seat that I have here."

Harry and Charlie were curled up on the sofa, leaning on each other and holding hands. Charlie wanted to start a conversation about removing the repulsion spells on Harry's sixteenth birthday, but didn't know how to do it. He heard Harry muttering to himself before he turned to look straight into Charlie's eyes.

"We need to talk about what's going to happen on my birthday."

"Well, what do you want to happen?"

"I'll be old enough to handle the influx of magic at that point. Do you think we ought to remove the spells?" Harry had been battling with himself for the last several months; the sexual attraction he felt for Charlie had not gone away, it had just become worse as time went on. He flushed slightly before speaking again. "I...erm...I want to complete the bond."

Charlie carefully placed an arm around Harry's shoulders; he didn't want to risk activating the repulsion spells now. "We do need to talk about that. We've not even kissed, except for that time at the beginning of your second year; and that wasn't even a romantic kiss."

"Well, with the spells in place, we can't kiss; they won't let us. Do we remove the spells now or wait the two more weeks until my birthday?"

Charlie was torn; on one hand, he wanted to remove the spells now, on the other hand, he wasn't sure he would be able to control himself. As Harry had gotten older, he could feel the attraction getting stronger; he didn't want to risk losing control of himself and taking Harry before he came into his magical majority on his sixteenth birthday. "I don't know...and before you start, I know that sounds lame. I'm not sure I could control myself if we remove the spells now; I want you too badly but I don't want to risk anything happening."

Harry breathed a small sigh of relief; he was glad that Charlie felt the same as he did, they hadn't ever discussed it before. "Then we wait. Do I come into my majority at midnight, as it becomes my birthday, or the time when I was born?"

"The exact anniversary of your birth; do you know what time of day you were born?"

Harry shook his head; if his parents had been alive, he would have known...but they weren't. "Maybe I should ask Sirius or Remus."

Charlie agreed with him. "You can ask at dinner; they're coming over here tonight.

~OOooOO~

Harry was horribly nervous. It was three in the morning on 31st July; he would officially be sixteen in seven minutes. Charlie, Severus, Sirius, Remus, Molly and Arthur were all sitting up with him; Severus had told them that the more people present for this, the easier it would be for Harry. Severus was expecting that Harry would experience a rather large influx of magic, if the current level of his magical core was anything to go by.

Charlie picked up Harry's hand just before the muggle alarm clock ticked over to 03:07; it was a good thing he did, he was Harry's grounding force. Both of them began to glow slightly, Harry's glow being brighter than Charlie's. Severus' jaw dropped as they all watched Harry come into his magical majority.

They all watched as he levitated slightly off the bed, the air currents in the room moving the sheets beneath him; Charlie's eyes closed and he also lifted out of his chair. The slight breeze in the room picked up and became a brisk wind; the draperies swayed and billowed as the wind caught them. The glow intensified and Charlie's body moved next to Harry's; the soul bond wanted them as close to each other as possible. They heard a sound like breaking glass, but, when they looked around, nothing was broken. On a whim, Severus checked both Harry and Charlie to see if the repulsion spells were still holding through this magical change; he wasn't surprised to find that they were gone.

"The repulsion spells are gone; the bond knows that Harry is now of age and can handle the joining of their magicks. I'm going to suggest that, as soon as the change is over, we leave the room and ward it against sound and intrusion. I don't think the bond is going to wait much longer to be consummated."

Remus and Arthur nodded, each of them grabbing their respective mate's hand and getting ready to leave the room. The glow surrounding the two men on the bed began to soften again and then stopped completely, the two settled back on the bed; the wind died out and the silence in the room was eerie. Remus felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and noticed that Sirius was looking extremely uncomfortable.

"We need to leave now; I don't think we want to be around for when they wake up." Everyone agreed and left the room; as he exited the room, Severus turned and closed the door. He began to ward the door against intruders and Sirius joined him to add silencing wards to the room; no one really wanted to hear what went on in there.

They proceeded to make themselves comfortable on the sofa and chairs in the room...this could prove to be a very long night.


	43. Chapter 42

_**THIS CHAPTER CONSISTS ALMOST ENTIRELY OF A SLASH (MALE ON MALE) SEX SCENE...IF THIS SQUICKS YOU, PLEASE WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER!**_

~OOooOO~

Charlie woke first; he felt as though he had been trampled by a herd of rampaging hippogriffs. He slowly edged onto his side so that he could see Harry clearly; what he saw astonished him. During his change, Harry had apparently grown at least another three inches and he was now taller than Charlie by about an inch; his shoulders were more broad and his hair appeared to be a little more tame, but that could just be because he was lying on the bed. As Charlie watched, Harry began to stir, waking slowly.

Harry felt like he had been dropped from the Astronomy Tower and landed on his head. As he tried to turn on his side, he groaned and stopped moving. A hand came to rest on his chest and a feeling of warmth and contentedness flowed through him; without opening his eyes, he knew it was Charlie.

"Mmm...what hit me?"

"Your magical inheritance, my Raven." Charlie leaned in and gently pressed a small kiss on Harry's lips, gasping when it felt like he had been shocked.

"What was that?" Harry sat up carefully, not wanting to aggravate his sore body. He had felt the shock too, and wanted to know why it had happened. He should be able to withstand the force of their magicks combining; why would a small kiss have that kind of reaction? "Check to see if the repulsion spells are still there."

Charlie scanned both of their bodies, looking for the spells; of course, he found nothing. "They're gone; I guess they disappeared when you got your inheritance. It must have been the bond."

"You'd think that the bond would want us to consummate it as soon as possible, why would it shock us?"

Charlie shook his head and tried to get off of the bed; it felt like he was chained to it...or to Harry. "Harry, Love, can you see if you can move away from me?"

Harry moved a bit, but only got about half a metre away before he was drawn back to Charlie's side. "Um...nope. I wonder if this means we have to...erm...you know." Harry flushed a truly interesting shade of red.

Charlie was thinking the same thing...it could get uncomfortable if the bond wouldn't let them be more than a couple dozen centimetres away from each other. He leaned in and kissed Harry again, tempting the Fates to see if they would get shocked again; it didn't happen. He slowly laid Harry back on the bed and deepened the kiss, promising himself that he would take this slowly; he knew Harry was a virgin and he was the next best thing.

Harry felt the warmth in his chest swell and now knew that it was the bond causing the intense sensations he was feeling. He wrapped his arms around Charlie's neck and held on to him for dear life; he had never been kissed like this...well, he'd really never been kissed romantically at all. The only kisses he could even remotely remember were ones that Charlie had given him on his forehead or on his hair; this...this was so far removed from those small shows of affection that he honestly didn't know what to do.

Charlie drew back and looked Harry in the eye. "Before we even think about taking this any further, we need to talk about something."

"What?"

"Once we consummate the bond, there's a really good chance that one of us is going to be pregnant. I've been reading up on it and all of the books say that the first time is the most powerful, as it joins our magic together. We need to figure out which one of us we want to carry." He watched the blush cover Harry's face and head down his neck; he wanted to see where the blush ended. "Right now, I'm in better physical shape than you are, but you're going to be the one who's going to be pampered the most _**because**_ of your condition."

Harry's eyes met his again. "Which one of us do _**you**_ think should carry first? Then, remember, there's also the fact that I can't hold myself up for long enough to do much in the way of sex." Charlie's eyes went wide and Harry chuckled. "What? Just because we couldn't do anything about it doesn't mean that I haven't looked into how it happens. I don't think that I have the strength for that just yet."

Charlie sat up and pulled Harry into his lap. "I hadn't thought about that...but you're right. Though, there are other ways than just the regular positions. I could...I...erm..."

Harry tilted his head to the side. "You could what?"

"I...if you wanted me to carry first, I could...that is, I mean..."

Harry smacked Charlie's arm. "Just spit it out Weasley!"

Charlie took a deep breath before speaking again. "You could top from the bottom."

"Explain." Now Harry was wondering exactly how far _**Charlie's**_ blush reached.

"I could ride you."

Harry's eyes widened and he inhaled sharply; he had read about several different positions that were possible, that position being one of them. Did he want to do that? Did he want Charlie to carry first? "Do you want to carry the first child? I kind of thought that I would be the carrier."

"It would make things somewhat easier if you were, at least for the first child. We could alternate or something after that, if you want."

Harry nodded. "I think that would work the best. Since I'm already seeing Poppy at least once a week for check-ups on my condition, it might be for the best if I were to carry the first child. That way, she could keep a close watch on me."

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief; not that he didn't want to carry their child, but he really thought that Harry would be the one who could carry with better results. Charlie was very active and there was a high chance of miscarriage if he fell or was injured; he didn't want to risk that. He knew that Harry was going to be pregnant, or well on his way there, by the end of the night.

~OOooOO~

Harry lifted up his arms to welcome Charlie back into them; now that they had the business about who would be the primary carrier of their children out of the way, there was nothing stopping them from consummating the bond. He had been feeling the pull of the bond ever since Charlie had kissed him and he was almost frantic; the bond wanted to be consummated and he wasn't in any shape to deny it.

Charlie had been fighting the bond ever since he had awoken next to Harry; he hadn't wanted to frighten Harry by pouncing on him as soon as he opened his eyes. He let Harry draw him back down into a mind-blowing kiss and he took over from there; he may have only had one experience with sex, but that was one more encounter than Harry had. He wanted to make this as good for Harry as possible; his own first time had been anything but good.

Harry jumped as, suddenly, neither one of them had on any clothing; he looked at Charlie with a question in his eyes. Charlie shook his head; he didn't know how they ended up nude, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He gave Harry one last small kiss before beginning to work his way down his neck to his chest; when he came to Harry's nipples, he smiled slightly before attaching himself to one of them.

Harry arched his back, almost coming completely off of the bed when he felt Charlie's mouth, tongue and teeth attack his chest. He had never felt anything like that before; he wasn't sure if it was supposed to feel that good, but he wasn't going to complain. He only then noticed that the hand that wasn't attached to his other nipple had wandered down his body and was lightly stroking his erection. He thought he was going to go through the roof. Harry bit down on his lower lip, trying desperately to stave off his orgasm. He lost it when he felt Charlie's tongue leave his chest and swirl around the very tip of his cock; his entire body convulsed and he screamed when he came.

Charlie drank in the sound of Harry's release; he had caused Harry's first orgasm that was not self-induced. He swallowed almost audibly, savouring the taste of his mate for the first time; it most certainly wouldn't be the last. He rose to kneel between Harry's legs, running his hands up the length of his calves and thighs, drawing a shaky moan out of the younger man's throat. Harry cracked his eyelids open and watched Charlie almost slither his way up his body; the lust in Charlie's eyes was amazing to see...Harry couldn't look away.

"I need you, my Raven...you need me...let's complete this."

Harry felt his cock jerk in reaction to Charlie's words; he had never thought that words could be that much of a turn-on...they would have to explore that some other time. He lifted his arms again, running his fingers over the heavy muscles of Charlie's upper arms and shoulders; he ran his short nails down Charlie's chest to his abdomen, wringing a breathy moan out of his mate. Charlie's hand shot out from his side and a green jar smacked into his palm. He picked up his wand and cast a cleansing spell on Harry.

As he began to prepare Harry for the consummation, he made sure to go about it carefully; he listened closely to the sounds his mate was making, listening for any sounds of pain. Once he had Harry stretched and lubricated to his satisfaction, he met Harry's eyes as he slowly pushed past the ring of muscles guarding his entrance. Charlie came to a stop as Harry winced and tried to keep from stiffening his body; there would be pain, that was unavoidable, but it didn't have to be the horrible pain that Charlie remembered from his first time.

Harry breathed shallowly through his nose; he had known it would be painful, there was no getting past that. That being so, the pain wasn't as bad as he had thought it would be; he shifted his hips a little, trying to let Charlie know to continue...they could wait after Charlie was completely there. The burning sensation and pain that accompanied the slow glide of Charlie's cock was almost too much for Harry, but he knew it would fade.

Charlie held himself absolutely still for what seemed like forever but was, in all reality, only a few minutes; he knew that he had to allow Harry time to adjust or it would be just like his experience. Slowly, he could feel the channel surrounding him relax and soften as Harry's body adjusted to the new feeling of something being where it hadn't been before. Harry nodded slightly and Charlie began to move.

Harry hadn't felt much yet, other than burning and pain, but when Charlie brushed against something inside of him, a burst of pleasure hit him hard; he moaned and arched his back, trying to get Charlie to do it again. "Again! Do that again!"

Charlie kept thrusting at that angle, still intent upon making this good for Harry. Neither one of them was very experienced, so it came as no surprise to Charlie when he could feel his orgasm already bearing down on him; he reached between their bodies and began to stroke Harry's cock in time to his thrusts. He could feel the shaking in Harry's body and he sped up, now determined that Harry was going to come before he did. He brushed up against that spot again and he literally felt Harry fall over the edge.

Harry had never felt anything this intense in his life; he swore he could see heaven when his body began to spasm with the force of his orgasm. He screamed again and felt the warmth of his seed between their sweat-slicked bodies; Charlie gave one last thrust and growled low in his throat as he released his seed into his mate's channel. He held himself above Harry for a moment before carefully pulling out and collapsing next to him; a negligent wave of his hand later and both of them were clean once more.

Neither one knew of the chaos their mating had just caused to the castle and grounds around them.

~OOooOO~

Sirius noticed it first. The small tremors that were shaking objects around the room were almost unnoticeable; as time went on, the shaking became more obvious. Only when the teacups they were drinking out of shattered and then re-formed did the rest of the room's occupants realise that something was happening.

"Remus, is it just me or is the room shaking?" Sirius looked around him slowly, trying to pick out what was making him think that he was stationary while the room moved around him.

"Yes, Padfoot, it is. I wonder if..." The teacups chose this time to shatter, spraying them all with their tea. Remus watched, shocked, as the cups then came back together, as if nothing had ever happened.

Severus looked over at the door to Harry's room and nodded once. "Ours was not anywhere near this powerful, but I do believe that their bond is now complete. We should leave; I don't think they would appreciate knowing that we sat out here while they were..."

Everyone agreed and quickly vacated the suite of rooms; they all headed back to their own rooms or, in the case of Molly and Arthur, to the Burrow. Some of the residual magic must have escaped the room, though, because, when they arrived at their destinations, they all engaged in activities similar to those that had happened behind Harry's closed door; Severus did have to contact Lucius before giving in to the urges, but contact him Severus did.


	44. Chapter 43

~OOooOO~

The next morning, Minerva knocked carefully on the sideways portrait that was supposed to cover the door to Charlie and Harry's rooms. She smiled slightly as the small boy in the portrait looked at her.

"Can you please turn me right side up again? I've been this way since very early this morning and it's getting annoying."

Minerva straightened the portrait and knocked again; Charlie answered the second knock and ushered her into the living area. Minerva had to hide her smile behind her hand. Charlie looked like he had been dragged through several bushes; his hair stood on end and his clothing was horribly rumpled.

"Good morning Mr. Weasley...Potter. Hmm, the castle seems to think that your last name has changed now and that it should be Potter instead of Weasley."

Charlie scrubbed a hand over his eyes and stubble before answering. "I know. I woke up this morning with a large bouquet of flowers staring me in the face; the card on it read : To the Messrs. Potter. So, I'm assuming that joining our magic changed my name."

"Ah...that would explain what happened to the castle this morning."

"What happened?"

"Well, I felt a very strong surge of magic at around 3:30 this morning; several items in my office were on the floor when I came in this morning. Most of the paintings are tilted or completely upside down...Argus is slowly making his way around the castle, setting them to rights. The castle itself seems extraordinarily happy this morning and the wards surrounding the castle and grounds are at the highest they have been since the founder's time. I have had Hagrid checking the grounds and forest to make certain that no damage was done there...I am going to assume that there was no damage done to your quarters."

"No, but Severus fire-called at about 5 this morning to let us know that we owe him some rather expensive potions ingredients; it seems that several jars...erm...exploded, ruining whatever was in them." Charlie looked around carefully. "It doesn't seem to have affected our rooms. May I ask what time it is?"

"9:45...I was expecting you both for breakfast, to celebrate Harry's birthday, but that can wait until lunch. Please make an effort to be there." Minerva smiled at Charlie, belying the shortness of her words.

Charlie flushed as he realised that he and the Headmistress had just held a conversation that consisted entirely of vague references to the fact that he and Harry had had sex very early that morning. He looked anywhere but at Minerva, so he didn't see the almost Slytherin smirk that graced her lips; she knew that Charlie had finally woken up and realised what they had been talking about since she arrived.

"Give Harry my best wishes and we will see you at noon." Minerva gave in to her laughter as soon as she cast a silencing spell on herself; she didn't need for Charlie to hear her and become more embarrassed than he already was.

~OOooOO~

Harry groaned as he rolled over in the bed, hand searching for and not finding Charlie; his eyes opened and he looked around the room for his mate. Tentatively he reached out along their bond and felt Charlie; he felt a burst of love on the bond and knew that Charlie had sent it to him, to reassure him. He groaned again as he sat up and tried to stand with the aid of his walker; he knew it was foolish and felt horribly stupid as his legs gave out and he crashed to the floor. He tried to keep the tears from falling as his hopes were dashed.

Charlie ran into the room and, finding Harry on the floor in tears, sat next to him and pulled him into his arms. "What is it, Love? What's wrong?"

"I had hoped that, maybe, finally completing the bond would heal some of my injuries...guess I was wrong."

Charlie wiped away the tears as they continued to fall; he didn't know who had told Harry that this might help him heal, but he was going to find out and torture them. "Who told you that, Love?"

"Madam Pomfrey...she didn't tell me it _**would**_ help, though. I kind of got my hopes up when she told me that combining our magicks _**might**_ help with the healing."

"Harry, there's nothing wrong with hoping something will work. This is just going to take time."

"It's been almost a year, Charlie!"

"Love...listen to me, please? You almost died when you fell off of your broom; you've already been told that you might never walk again. I think you will walk again, but it's not going to happen over night; it's going to take time and a lot of therapy. You know that I will be here for you, every step of the way."

"But what if you get sick of having to help me get around? What if you get tired of having to care for me?" The frightened look in Harry's eyes told Charlie that they were finally getting to the heart of the matter; he knew he'd have to tread carefully around this subject.

"Harry, I won't ever get tired of helping you...I love you, you are my other half, you complete me. I want to help you; you mean so much to me...you always have. I won't get tired of you; I won't ever abandon you." He knew that a lot of Harry's fears stemmed from the Dursleys' treatment of him right after his first year. "Would you leave me, if I was in the same situation as you?"

"Never! I would _**never**_ do that!"

"Then why would you think I would do that to you?"

"I don't think you would...I just...I'm...Charlie, I'm scared. What if I can't do what everyone thinks I can? What if I can't destroy Voldemort; what if I never heal past where I am now?"

Charlie tightened his arms around Harry's body, feeling the slight shivers that were wracking his frame. "My Raven, you are one of the strongest people I know. With everything that's happened to you, you have yet to let any of it get to you. For right now, though, you don't have to be strong; lean on me, that's what I'm here for. We're partners...mates...soul mates; together we can get through anything." Charlie stood, picked Harry up and placed him back on the bed. "You will never be alone again."

Charlie pressed kisses on the top of Harry's head as he sobbed his relief into Charlie's shirt. No matter what, he would always be there for his Raven; he would let nothing tear them apart.

~OOooOO~

Harry took to pushing his therapy as hard as he could; he needed to be as physically strong as possible, to match his magical strength. He had finally accepted that he might never walk without help again, but he wasn't about to let that stop him. Severus, Charlie, Remus and Regulus began to train Harry to repel an attack no matter where he was.

The first training session focused on his chair; he had to learn to manoeuvre it under all kinds of attack, maintaining his shields at the same time. They continued this until Harry was able to incapacitate them all while still being able to mentally move his chair around. The next lesson found Harry sitting on an adapted broom; he might not be able to play Quidditch again, but Charlie had found a way for him to fly. They used the Room of Requirement to work up Harry's upper body strength and balance; it was amazing to Severus what the room could actually provide.

Regulus had asked the room to provide them with a muggle wind tunnel, so that they could basically stand still and train Harry...just until he was used to the broom. Once he was used to that, Regulus asked for a Quidditch pitch and they all flew, whether Severus liked it or not. Charlie was not idle during this time; he and Harry were learning how to combine their magicks and how to control the extremely powerful spells they could cast together. By the time the end of the summer holidays rolled around, they were all confident that Harry could manoeuvre easily on both the chair and the broom, all while repelling and returning spells.

~OOooOO~

The final weekend before the new term started found everyone invited to Malfoy Manor; Draco had decided that he wanted to see Lucius and Narcissa before the term started. The Weasleys hadn't been invited because they didn't know that Lucius and Narcissa were still alive; Remus was going to be let in on the secret that weekend.

Harry woke up that Friday feeling less than great; he had been sluggish the last few days and was worried that he had overdone something. He decided to take it easy that day, since they would be heading to the Manor after breakfast; Sirius and Remus would join them for the meal and they were all going over together. Charlie had the table ready for them and had already gotten Harry situated when the two older men walked in; Charlie noticed that Sirius was looking a little grey around the edges and he wondered if he had caught whatever it was that was plaguing Harry.

"Are you feeling alright, Siri?" Harry had also seen that his godfather's skin was on the pale side and was concerned that helping out with the Aurors was not good for him.

"Not really, Pup; been kind of green the last couple of days. I think I ate something that didn't agree with me." He looked at Harry and tilted his head to the side. "You're not feeling well either, are you?"

"Not really; I wonder if we caught something." Breakfast appeared at that moment and both men paled drastically. Sirius ran for the bathroom but Harry couldn't move that fast; he turned to the side and sicked up on the floor. Remus followed Sirius into the bathroom while Charlie helped Harry; when Remus and Sirius made a reappearance, Harry was lying on the sofa with a cool, damp cloth over his eyes. Remus and Charlie looked at each other and nodded; Charlie walked over to the hearth and fire-called Poppy to come examine the two men. It took less than five minutes to find out what was wrong.

"Well, gentlemen...for one of you, this really comes as no surprise; as for the other, I am a little puzzled as to why it took this long."

Harry moved the cloth over his eyes so that he could look at the medi-witch. "What is it?"

"You're both pregnant." As they all watched, Remus turned pale and fell to the floor with a loud thud.


	45. Chapter 44

~OOooOO~

Once Remus had been woken up, they all tried to eat breakfast; Remus and Charlie had a better time of it than Harry and Sirius did. Sirius made a run for the bathroom twice more before the end of the meal and Harry had refused to eat anything but toast after almost sicking up again. Both of their mates were very solicitous toward them and tried to help as best they could. For the most part, though, Remus just spaced out in between bites; Charlie was curious as to what was making him do that; finally he got up enough nerve to ask.

"Remus, are you alright? I know I'm supposed to be asking them that, but there's something wrong."

Remus blinked several times before answering. "I was told that I probably would never father or carry a child; the lycanthropy doesn't allow much in the way of reproductive success."

Sirius cocked his head to the side. "Why not, Love?"

"The constant monthly change is torture; it's like having your entire body ripped apart for one night and then put back together the next morning. Now do that once a month for the last...oh...thirty years. Granted, it _**has**_ gotten easier since Severus started making the Wolfsbane potion for me; but the transformation is still horrible."

"So, theoretically, you wouldn't be able to carry a child, if you were the one to get pregnant." Sirius was learning something about his mate that he had never known.

"Actually, the transformations stop if I'm the one to carry; but that won't happen."

"Why not?" Harry had stopped looking so green and was taking an interest in the conversation. "Why won't it happen, Remy?"

Remus sighed heavily. "I've always known that wizards can carry a child, especially if they're mates of some sort...like you and Charlie, me and Sirius and like Severus was with Lucius." The other three men looked at each other fleetingly...they needed to get to the Manor, so that Remus could be told. "I honestly never thought that I would ever become a father, except by adoption. Several years ago, right after Sirius was cleared, I had a healer who specialises in lycanthropy do a detailed examination of me; she told me that, because of the damage done to my body from the changes and years of just barely making it, my body wouldn't be able to handle carrying and my...erm...my sperm count was rather low." Remus flushed; he hadn't ever shared anything quite that personal with anyone other than Sirius. "So, Sirius is the only one of us who can carry...and that wasn't guaranteed because of the years in Azkaban."

Harry's eyes grew wide at the implications of that last statement. "Oh God, Siri! You're going to have to take it really easy now, aren't you?"

"Yes, Pup, I am. I'll have to resign from the Aurors completely now. I'll have to go see Kingsley tomorrow. I'll have to see if there's anything Minerva will allow me to do around here; maybe I could do theory for Transfiguration or DADA, just skip the practical stuff."

Charlie nodded in agreement. "Well, I'm going to be taking back CoMC from Hagrid this year, so maybe you can help there; I'm not known for the dangerous stuff like Hagrid is. I've had several complaints from students who've been injured during his classes; they all want to know when I'm coming back."

They all laughed and relaxed after everyone had eaten their fill of breakfast. Charlie helped Harry get ready for the trip to Malfoy Manor; he was going to carry Harry through the floo, so that his chair could be shrunk down. As Remus was holding Sirius throughout the trip, a thought occurred to him; what if this had something to do with the magic released the night of Harry and Charlie's bonding?

~OOooOO~

Inside a very lopsided house, in a small town in the English countryside, a middle aged man was holding on to his wife, comforting her as she did something he hadn't seen her do in almost sixteen years. The wife was bent in half over the toilet, heaving up whatever she had eaten the night before and that morning.

The middle aged man was confused; his spouse hadn't been sick like this in years. He went back over what they had eaten and done for the last few days, but there was nothing that stuck out as being the cause of this episode. He summoned a cool, damp cloth and bathed her face and neck with it; as he did this, it struck him as to when the last time was that she had been sick like this...his only daughter had been born eight months later.

~OOooOO~

Narcissa Malfoy and Severus Snape were hovering over the body of Lucius Malfoy. The blonde was currently lying on the floor, unconscious; Narcissa was calm as she slowly scanned his body; Severus was quietly freaking out.

They had been having a perfectly normal breakfast, prior to receiving guests for the day; today they were going to let Remus Lupin in on the secret of Lucius and Narcissa being alive. When Lucius had stood to go to the sitting room, he had turned ghostly white and fell to the floor. Draco sat on the floor next to his father, gently running his fingers through the long blonde hair; he looked up at Severus as they heard the sound of the floo activating in the next room.

"Draco, please go see to our guests; inform them that we will be with them shortly, but do not tell them that your father is unconscious."

"Yes, Mother." Severus took his son's place next to Lucius.

Draco walked into the main sitting room, where the floo was located, only to find all four men either on the floor or on the sofa. Harry and Sirius were lying on the sofas and their mates were kneeling on the floor next to them; Draco was eerily reminded of his father's condition in the next room.

"Is something wrong? Are you all alright?" Draco began to panic slightly; what if something had happened to everyone? A thought struck him just then...he didn't know about Remus and Sirius, but he did know that Harry and his father were the submissives in their relationships; could they be pregnant?

Charlie looked up at the younger man and smiled. "They're fine, Draco." Draco watched as Remus gently rubbed a hand over Sirius' abdomen and noticed the Charlie was doing the same to Harry.

"Are they...are they pregnant?" Draco's breathing halted momentarily as he thought about his father; could Lucius be pregnant again? Charlie and Remus nodded in unison, proud smiles wreathing their features. Harry smiled even though he looked rather pale; he motioned to Draco to join them.

"We are happy to inform you that we are going to have a baby."

Draco's eyes widened and he looked at the two older men. "Sirius, too?"

Remus' answer was interrupted by Severus' entrance into the room. Everyone took in the Potion Master's dishevelled appearance and the petrified look in his eyes. "Draco, come!"

After Draco ran out of the room, Charlie quickly re-enlarged Harry's chair and they all went to see what was going on. Sirius held Remus back and began whispering into his mate's ear, causing the werewolf to stare at him in shock.

"Lucius and Narcissa aren't dead? How?" As they joined everyone else in the dining room, Sirius continued to explain what had happened at the end of Draco and Harry's fourth year.

Draco was kneeling on the floor next to the chair Lucius was now sitting in; Severus was on the other side and Narcissa's hand rested on Lucius' shoulder from behind. Charlie and Harry looked at each other and grinned...it looked like there were going to be three babies born at about the same time. As Severus' hand caressed Lucius' flat belly, Harry's mind leapt back to the night of his inheritance...Severus, Sirius, Remus..._**and**_ Molly and Arthur had been there. Was there going to be a fourth baby?

~OOooOO~

"Arthur, I can't cast the spell on myself, you're going to have to do it."

Arthur nodded hesitantly; he didn't want to make a mistake. "Conceptus Indicia"

A light glow hovered over Molly's belly and they could both see a bubble in the centre of the glow. "Love, does that mean what I think it does?"

Molly nodded, just staring at the glow. Oh Dear Merlin! Her baby was fifteen; how were the others going to take this news?

_**~OOooOO~**_

_**A/N- Sorry that it's such a short chapter, but I realised that I hadn't updated in almost two weeks and I felt horribly guilty...I promise the next one will be longer!**_

_**Now...sexes and names? Hints or suggestions anyone?**_


	46. Chapter 45

~OOooOO~

Harry wasn't surprised to receive an invitation to the Burrow that night; Charlie seemed to also know what the invite meant, but wasn't going to say anything. By now they had all figured out that Sirius' and Lucius' pregnancies were a result of the excess of magic on the night of his inheritance; it only stood to reason that, as Molly and Arthur had been there, they would be affected as well. The invitation was for Sunday dinner; Charlie grinned when he read the letter. All important news that affected the Weasley family had always been shared at Sunday dinner; apparently, this was going to be no different.

They flooed into the Burrow, Charlie holding Harry in his arms; Harry's chair was in Charlie's shoulder bag, just waiting to be re-enlarged. Bill flooed in from Egypt just as they were all sitting down to eat; he took the chair on Harry's other side and relaxed into the seat. It had been a hard day and he was looking forward to just being near his family for the night.

Molly and Arthur stood in the doorway, looking over their family. Bill, still single, sat next to Harry, who had Charlie on his other side; Ron and Hermione were facing them across the table with Fred, George and Percy next to them; Ginny sat next to Charlie, at her mother's right hand; Molly sat at one end and Arthur at the other; their whole family was spread out before them. Now, how to tell them that they would need another chair soon?

Arthur held Molly's seat for her, a move that didn't go unnoticed by any of the males at the table; even though they knew that Arthur loved Molly to distraction, he wasn't in the habit of holding chairs for her. Since Harry and Charlie already had an idea of what was going on, and had their own news to share, they said nothing; Bill, however, couldn't keep silent. The last time his father had been this solicitous of his mother, she had been pregnant with Ginny...(wait for it!)...Pregnant!

"Mum? Something you want to tell us?" Bill smiled down the table at his mother and then looked back at his father. Molly blushed brightly, surprising most everyone at the table.

"Mum?" Ron's voice was quiet, almost scared; he had never seen his mother blush before...flush in anger, yes, blush, no.

"Everyone, your mother and I have something to tell you. It may shock you, but we hope you will like it." Arthur looked at Molly, who nodded back at him. "In about eight months, give or take a little, you will have a baby brother or sister to welcome home."

Absolute silence reigned...no one knew what to say. Bill was the first to get up and circle the table to hug his mother. "Congratulations, Mum!" Everyone else jumped up to converge on Molly, hugging her gently and kissing her cheek; Molly just sat and cried. She had hoped that her grown children would be supportive but, since it had been so many years since there had been a baby in the house, she hadn't been sure. Harry was the only one who hugged Arthur first before wading through his siblings to get to his Mum.

"I'm so happy for you, Mum...is everything alright?"

Molly sniffled a bit before replying. "We only found out yesterday, so I haven't been to a healer about it yet. I'm just so happy that you lot are all accepting of it; it's been sixteen years since the last time I was pregnant, so I wasn't sure how any of you would take it."

Ginny hugged Molly again, keeping her arms around her, just holding her mother. "Mum, I'm so excited! I get to be a big sister!"

Harry and Charlie stood back from the rest of the family; they looked at each other and nodded. Their news could wait until the following weekend; they just had to make sure that Bill was home for that again. Charlie pulled his older brother aside and asked him to come back the following Sunday; Bill gave Charlie a look and then looked at Harry.

"Yeah, but we're not about to spoil Mum and Dad's news. We can wait 'til next week." Bill nodded, agreeing with their reasoning.

~OOooOO~

The following Sunday happened much as Harry had expected; like Molly, he had been swamped by a sea of red-heads and one brunette. He actually had to have Charlie practise crowd control on them.

"Guys! Back off a bit; give Harry some room to breathe, alright?"

Both Molly and Arthur had wanted to know if Harry had known the week before; Harry was reluctant to say anything. Charlie finally took over, letting them all know that, yes, they had known the week prior. "We decided that we could wait with our news; everyone expected Harry to come out of this pregnant. Just so you know, we think it had something to do with the residual magic from our joining."

Molly gasped as the implications struck her. "Is either Sirius or Remus pregnant, too?"

Harry nodded, smiling at the memory. "Yes, Sirius is also pregnant; we're figuring all of us are probably due at the same time."

Bill sat back and thought about some things; Charlie had told him who had been present that night...Severus had been in the group. He still wasn't convinced that Lucius Malfoy wasn't somehow alive; Severus had been a spy for far too long to make a mistake like he had, talking about Lucius as if he was still alive. Granted, Severus had been very emotional at the time, but still...he didn't think the man had said that mistakenly. Bill wondered if there was a fourth baby also due to arrive with his new sibling and niece or nephew.

~OOooOO~

Voldemort's eyes glowed bright red with anger when presented with the information that Harry Potter-Black was expecting; trust the brat to do something that hadn't been done in several decades. This blew his plans completely out of the water; he wasn't willing to attack the child while he was pregnant, he wanted to prove that he was stronger than the boy. The Brat Who Lived wouldn't have access to all of his magic as the babe would be pulling magic from him as it grew; this definitely meant that the rumours he had heard upon his revival were true, Charlie Weasley was the boy's soul mate. He was going to have to be much more careful about when he chose to attack and who he chose to attack; if they _**were**_ mated, they would be able to access each other's magic, even from a distance.

He looked about at the few loyal Death Eaters he still had; he didn't know if he could count Severus in that number anymore. Nott had told him that Severus had been forced to have the dark mark removed and that he had protested with shouts and screams. He didn't know how the Ministry had removed the mark, but he was willing to guess that it had been quite painful; he knew that it caused a great amount of pain to have the mark placed on his followers' arms. Nott had also brought word that Severus was essentially being held prisoner in the hallowed halls of Hogwarts; he had a guard of no less than two Aurors at any given time.

Voldemort was extremely upset by this news; he had had plans for Severus. The man, while most definitely a dominant in a relationship, would have been his submissive; he was to have borne his Lord's child. Even though they weren't mates of any kind, there were pregnancy potions for that; sometimes it paid to have the youngest Potions Master as your follower. Now, that option was beyond him; if the Ministry and Aurors were watching Severus, and he could be assured they were, there was no way that Severus was going to be able to get away from his guards.

_**~OOooOO~**_

_**Sorry, I lied...it's not longer. Real life and severe writer's block caught up with me after the last chapter. I'm hoping that the next chapters will be easier to get out than this one was...it was horrendous! Again, my apologies!**_


	47. Chapter 46

~OOooOO~

Greg Goyle stared at Theodore Nott; he hadn't been expecting this. Theo had pulled him aside as they left Riddle Manor and apparated them to just outside of Hogsmeade; from there, he had led him into the woods, towards the Shrieking Shack. Once there, Theo had turned to face him, eyes full of fear.

"We have to hurry or our fathers will realise we're gone...I need you to take a message to Professor Snape; I know that you're allied with him and Potter-Black." Seeing the terror in Greg's eyes, Theo hurriedly reassured him. "I, Theodore Nott, do hereby declare that I have no intention of joining the Death Eaters. I want to work to take down their regime. So I have spoken, so let it be. _Lumos_." The tip of Theo's wand glowed bright white. "I've been distancing myself from Father for a little while now; once I saw what the 'Dark Lord' looked like, I realised that we can't let him win." 

Greg tilted his head slightly as he regarded his friend. Theo's father was one of the inner circle, almost as high up there as Severus and Lucius Malfoy had been. "What have you done?"

"I told my father some story about the Ministry having removed Professor Snape's mark. Father was with the Dark Lord when it was removed; however it was done, he said that the pain it caused the Dark Lord was immense. I remember Father telling me stories of what the Dark Lord had looked like before 1981...he looks nothing like that now. He's just a weak shadow, not even a real man; I don't want to be one of his followers if he can't even walk on his own."

"What's your message?"

"Tell him that the Dark Lord knows that his mark has been removed; he thinks that it was done against Professor Snape's will. I told my father that he was dragged, kicking and screaming, into McGonagall's office and the screams that came afterwards were awful. I also told Father that he was guarded by at least two Aurors at all times...he may have to get someone to stay with him, just sitting in his classroom and following him around, just so that it looks like he's under guard. I know it doesn't give him much time to arrange it, but he should know about this before the term starts; he'll need to do it so that it fits with my story." Theo chuckled slightly. "Father never even asked how I knew this had happened; term had already been over for almost three weeks when Father told me how the mark's removal had affected the Dark Lord."

Greg nodded and Theo disapparated. He ran as fast as he could up to the gates of Hogwarts and requested entry. "Please let me in! I need to speak with Professor Snape immediately!" The gates swung open and he ran up to the school and down into the dungeons. Once he reached the door to Professor Snape's quarters he knocked loudly on the door; he heard what sounded like a slight scream and heard running footsteps as the door opened to show his professor.

"Mr. Goyle? Why are you here? The term does not start until next week."

"I know, I need to speak with you...it's about the Dark Lord." Greg heard a whimper and saw a door inside Professor Snape's quarters close with a slam. _It must have been Draco_, Greg cursed himself silently, _Damn!_ _I didn't mean to scare him._ "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare Draco."

"Draco has been getting better, but mentions of the Dark Lord still frighten him. Come inside."

Once inside, Greg told him what Theo had said and done, letting Severus know that he only had one week to arrange guards for himself, to match the story Theo had told his father. Severus nodded in response; he thanked Greg and dismissed him, showing him to the floo and telling him to go to The Leaky Cauldron first, before flooing back to his home.

Severus called Sirius and Remus to his quarters; they were relaxing after the day spent at Malfoy Manor, but this couldn't wait. Together, they created two more golems and dressed them in Auror's robes; the instructions were simple. They were to stay with Severus at all times except in his quarters, where they were to sit quietly in a corner until Severus left again. Draco watched the proceedings with awe and asked questions the entire time; he had never seen anything like the strong magic that went into making the golems and was entranced by what the three men had to do to make them. Once they were done, Severus called Minerva to tell her about what was happening; he left it up to Sirius and Remus to tell Charlie and Harry, so that they didn't worry.

~OOooOO~

Regulus looked out over the sea of students occupying the Great Hall; he was the new Transfiguration professor. Minerva wanted to give him a job inside the school, so that he didn't have to try to find something to do where it might not be safe for him or Jean. He was still using the glamour and the pseudonym David Granger, explaining that he was a half blood, not a muggle; Hermione could now get rid of the label 'Mudblood'. He looked at his brother, sitting next to his mate; Sirius was going to be assisting with the theory in Defence Against the Dark Arts, where Remus could watch over him...keeping a close eye on his mate and pup.

Minerva stood and welcomed everyone to the new term; Severus led in the first-years and kept them in line with a mere glance. Once the sorting had finished and the students had joined their new tables, Minerva sat back in her chair, a smirk flirting around the edges of her mouth; she had a plan to shock everyone who didn't already know the situation. The doors to the Great Hall flew open and everyone's attention was riveted on the doorway.

Harry wasn't sure he wanted to be doing this, but Minerva had been adamant. Since he was going to be rejoining some of his classes this term, the Headmistress had wanted everyone to know that he was off-limits to any pranks or attacks. He floated into the Hall, Charlie at his elbow and Molly and Arthur bringing up the rear; Molly and Arthur were also staying at the castle, so that Molly would be near Poppy for prenatal care. As they neared the head table, Minerva stood and cast a Sonorus on herself.

"Attention Everyone! As you can see, Mr. Potter-Black has recovered enough from his injuries to rejoin the general population of the school. I will give this warning only once...No one, and I do mean _**NO ONE**_, is to pull any pranks on Mr. Potter-Black, nor is he to be the recipient of any attacks on his person. If I find out that anything has happened to him, it will be cause for immediate expulsion. Professor Potter-Black, formerly Weasley, will also be _**VERY**_ interested in anything that happens to his bond-mate, Mr. Potter-Black."

Charlie cursed his fair skin as he flushed brightly at the announcement of his new name. Even though he had known what Minerva was planning, simply hearing the announcement of his bonding to Harry was enough to make him flush again. He looked at his husband and noticed that he had also flushed a bright red. No sooner had they settled themselves at the Gryffindor table then Severus re-entered the Great Hall, flanked by his 'guards'. There was dead silence from the older students for a moment, then there was the sounds of conversations and questions making the rounds of the tables. Very few people knew that the guards weren't real; it wasn't something that they wanted to get out to the general populace.

Severus took his seat at the head table, the guards standing behind him, and allowed his eyes to wander over the Slytherins seated in front of him; he especially took note of those he knew to be Death Eaters or the spawn of Death Eaters. Pansy Parkinson was eyeing him carefully, as were Vincent Crabbe and Paul Selwyn; he knew that word of his 'guards' had made the rounds of the Death Eaters and their children. Theodore Nott and Gregory Goyle were also watching him, but their expressions were almost of amusement. Severus nodded at his house and deliberately trained his attention elsewhere; he wanted to see if anyone was eyeing Harry maliciously or if it was all merely curiosity. He noticed a few strange looks cast at Harry, but none were horribly dark or dangerous in intent. Satisfied, Severus applied himself to his meal.

Minerva and Filius Flitwick scanned the students, looking for anyone staring at Harry and Charlie with anything other than curiosity; both of them noticed that several of the Slytherins were glaring at Harry and talking amongst themselves. Filius caught Minerva's eye and nodded slightly towards the Slytherin table; she nodded back, making a mental note to bring Vincent Crabbe and Paul Selwyn to Severus' attention. Both had glared at Harry and Charlie and then made motions with their hands indicating that they knew of Harry's pregnancy. Minerva had a feeling that those two would be the first to be expelled.

~OOooOO~

Harry could feel some of the looks being directed at him and, while most didn't feel malevolent, he knew that there were at least two that were. He concentrated on his bond with Charlie.

_'Charlie, turn around, and pretend that you're looking over the students, but concentrate on the Slytherins. I can feel two people staring at me, but I don't know who they are...it doesn't feel good.'_

_'Alright.'_

Charlie turned and began to scan the hall, keeping his back to the Gryffindor table; he had told Minerva that he would do this after he had eaten anyway, so he was keeping his word to her. As he looked out at everyone, his eyes met the dark glances of two Slytherins; Crabbe and another one whose name he could never remember. The second boy had a tendency to blend in with his background...always a useful trait, if you were a Death Eater's sprog. Charlie caught Minerva's gaze and nodded slightly at the Slytherin table, letting her know that there was at least one person at that table who wished Harry harm. She nodded minutely in return; if Charlie had seen it as well, she definitely needed to inform Severus, so that he could watch those two. She would have him watch Pansy Parkinson as well; something about the girl just seemed off.


	48. Chapter 47

~OOooOO~

Within two weeks, Vincent Crabbe and Paul Selwyn had gotten themselves expelled. Harry had been on his way back to his and Charlie's rooms for the night on the 13th, a Friday by coincidence; he had lost Ron and Hermione somewhere along the line, but wasn't worried...he was only four doors away from their rooms. He heard whispering coming from the side corridor just before the door he wanted; he pulled out his wand and slowed his chair. If he was going to be testing how well he could manoeuvre in his chair, he didn't want to be moving at top speed. He stopped about two metres from the corridor and waited; apparently his would-be attackers weren't expecting that. Crabbe and Selwyn stepped out into the main hall and looked around; Harry almost snorted in derision, their wands weren't even raised. From behind the two, the door to his quarters opened and Charlie stepped out, wand at the ready; his eyes widened when he saw the two standing in front of Harry.

Crabbe and Selwyn raised their wands and Selwyn cackled slightly, making Harry wonder if he was related to Bellatrix Lestrange. Harry could hear footsteps pounding down the corridor and he prayed that, if it was Ron and Hermione, they would stop before they rounded the corner. He stopped listening for the footsteps as he saw both of the Slytherins in front of him get ready to cast a spell at him; the incantation never made it past their lips. He shouted _"Petrificus Totalus!"_ at Crabbe and Charlie shouted _"Incarcerous!"_ at Selwyn. Both Slytherins hit the floor, one bound invisibly, the other bound by ropes; Charlie stalked over and disarmed both boys, pocketing their wands. He straightened back up just as Minerva, Ron and Hermione rounded the corner, followed by Pansy Parkinson's floating body; he made a mental note to ask about that one.

"Charlie! You got them!" Ron bent over at the waist and grabbed his knees, trying to get his breath back; Minerva and Hermione both leaned against the wall, trying to do the same.

"I got one, Harry got the other. Why were you running?"

Minerva looked at Hermione and nodded, giving her permission to tell Charlie. "Ron and I had just found Professor McGonagall when the castle told her that a student had been attacked by the library."

"Wait, you were with me...how did you get to her?" Harry had known that he had been moving faster than they were, but he didn't think it had been quite that fast.

"When we realised that you had gotten ahead of us, we started looking for a teacher and found Professor McGonagall; we didn't want to let you go back to your quarters alone. We weren't that far from the library, so Professor McGonagall went to find the student that had been attacked and we continued on, but a little more slowly."

Minerva took up the tale. "I found Miss Parkinson, lying unconscious in the library corridor and charmed her body to follow me. We started running for the teacher's rooms and had almost made it here when we heard you cast the spells. I take it that they attacked Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "No, not yet, but they were getting ready to." He looked down at Crabbe and Selwyn; Charlie had told him that these two were the ones that were staring at him at the Feast. "What's with Pansy?"

Minerva shook her head. "I'm not sure yet, but I think she's under some sort of compulsion spell. She has been acting oddly since the beginning of last term...well, oddly for her. I think, when we get her to the Infirmary, Poppy will find that those two are the ones that attacked her."

Ron began shaking his head negatively. "No, there wasn't enough time between when Harry left us to when you found her for those two to get down here and get hidden, not with how fast Harry was moving."

"Ron's right. I heard one of them whisper that they'd been waiting for ages and when was I going to show up. It couldn't have been them."

Charlie rested his hands on Harry's shoulders. "That's not good...it means that there's someone else in this castle who might be working with You-Know-Who. I don't like that thought."

A voice came out of the darkness. "No, I'm not working with V-Voldemort." Neville Longbottom stepped out of the shadows and bowed his head. "I was asked to make sure she was safe."

"Who asked for your help, Neville?" Hermione laid a hand on his arm, trying to comfort him. Neville had begun to finally gain in height over the last two years and, once he had had his teeth fixed, had become a rather handsome young man.

"Her father. Pansy and I have been betrothed since just after we turned three. Mr. Parkinson was worried, with everything that's happened to Harry, that something has been going on with Pansy; I think he's right. I also think you're right, Professor McGonagall; I'm pretty sure she's under a compulsion spell. She hasn't acted right this term." Neville ran a gentle hand down the side of Pansy's face, showing everyone just how much in love with the Slytherin he was. "It's just a sleeping spell; she should wake up shortly." He looked up at Minerva and held her gaze. "I overheard those two talking about what they could do to Harry; Pansy overheard them, too, and was going to try to warn you about them. I'm sorry Harry...I had to chose between keeping Pansy safe and keeping you safe. You have almost everyone in the castle looking after you; she has only me."

Harry moved his chair over to Neville's side. "Hey, you don't have to explain yourself...you're right. I've got who knows how many people watching out for me; Pansy needed you to watch out for her. I don't blame you one bit; you did the right thing."

"Well, as much as I appreciate the explanation, Mr. Longbottom, I think we need to get Miss Parkinson to the Infirmary and these two need to be seen by the Aurors." Neville cast the same charm Minerva had to get Pansy's body to follow him and took off for the Infirmary. Charlie and Minerva then cast the spell on Crabbe and Selwyn and went to her office. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other for a minute before Hermione took a dive into Harry's arms.

"We tried to keep up with you, really we did! You just moved too fast for us...you could have gotten hurt...or worse!"

"Hermione, I wasn't in any real danger...Charlie was right behind them. They walked out of the side corridor and didn't even have their wands raised for protection. Not only that, but with the training I've had this summer, they didn't stand a chance against me; I'm able to either disarm or incapacitate Severus, Remus, Charlie and your dad in very quick succession."

Ron draped an arm over Harry's shoulders and looked proudly at his friend. "Gotten that good, have you?"

Harry smiled and nodded. "I had to get that good; I'm going to be stuck in this chair for who knows how long. I have to be able to protect myself; if there's no one else around me to help, I need to be able to do it on my own."

As they moved towards Harry and Charlie's rooms, a slight chuckle came out of the corridor where Crabbe and Selwyn had been hiding.

"Very good, Mr. Potter-Black...very good. Voldemort won't stand a chance against you."

Twinkling blue eyes shone for a moment before disappearing into nothingness.

_**~OOooOO~**_

_**A/N - Sorry that it's so short, but life and illness have caught up with me...first my son was sick for almost a full week and now, I've been sick for just over a week. I'm hoping that the illness goes away and I can get my brain to function properly again!**_


	49. Chapter 48

~OOooOO~

Over the next few weeks, neither Harry nor Charlie could shake the feeling that they were being watched...and being watched very closely. The feeling seemed to come at odd times, like when they were alone together in the corridors or relaxing with their siblings/friends in the Gryffindor common room. Harry was the first to suggest that the gaze felt like Dumbledore's, heavy yet, at the same time, light-hearted; Charlie became determined to find out who was watching them, if it was the last thing he did.

Getting Severus to help them watch was not an issue; he had also felt the presence and had informed Minerva that he thought Albus was back in the castle.

"Are you certain, Severus? Albus hasn't been here in almost a year, why would he come back now?"

"I feel him, Minerva; I feel his magic. You remember how it felt, all warm and fuzzy with a tinge of seriousness and mischievous all at once. He's here and he's watching us...all of us, but especially Harry. I refuse to allow him to get close to him, not after everything he's done in the past; the potion may be out of his system, but who's to say that it didn't affect him in ways we don't know or understand?"

Minerva was silent for a very long time; her eyes were closed and she seemed to be trying to communicate with the castle, if the way her fingers touched the stone wall was anything to go by. Suddenly, her eyes popped open and she stared at Severus.

"He _**IS**_ here! The castle has confirmed it. I've asked her to guide him to this office, so that we can find out what he wants."

Minerva walked over to the floo and called Sirius, Remus, Regulus and Charlie; she asked them to come to her office immediately, dismissing any students that they had at that time. Severus waited, sitting in an armchair, for everyone to arrive. Charlie was first, as he'd had no class at that time; he was followed very shortly by the other three. They all took seats as Minerva explained why she had called them there; Charlie's face set into grim lines as he listened...he didn't want it to be true, but he knew Harry had been right. Their attention was grabbed by the sound of the lower door opening and the staircase slowly ascending to the top. The door opened slowly and the wizened face of Albus Dumbledore peeked around the edge; when he saw who was in the room, he turned, as if to leave, but was stopped by the stairs rapidly descending back to the level of the lower door, leaving him standing on a small platform just outside of Minerva's office.

"Do step inside, Albus...before the platform disappears and you fall." This made the elderly wizard almost leap into the room and shut the door behind him.

As Dumbledore cautiously edged his way into the room, everyone took the opportunity to examine the former Headmaster of Hogwarts. He had aged greatly in the year he had been gone, his face lined with even more wrinkles than it already had been; his silvery-white hair had turned completely white and looked dry and brittle, a sign of his age and the damage done to him by the years of the Imperius Potion. Minerva summoned a chair for the wizard and motioned for him to have a seat.

"Now, Albus...would you care to explain why you have returned? I had thought that you were happy in your retirement."

"Well, Minerva, I just wanted...I just thought...I..."

"Yes, Albus? As much as I appreciate you coming to visit, this school is no longer your playground...it is mine. As you well know, the responsibility of seeing to the safety of everyone in this school is mine; I cannot have you roaming the school at your leisure. I ask again, why are you here?"

~OOooOO~

Harry and Draco were sitting in Severus' living room, waiting to be joined by Ron, Hermione and Ginny; Draco was practically bouncing in his chair with excitement...he was going to get to see Ginny again. When a knock came on the door, Draco went into his room and peeked out of the door; if it was someone other than the three they were expecting, he didn't want to be seen. When their visitors proved to be Ron, Hermione and Ginny, Draco came out of his room and sat down next to Ginny on the love seat; Hermione gave them a small smile, approving of the potential relationship. Ron, however, didn't know what to do; he had known that Draco and Ginny liked each other, but to actually _**see**_ that they did was kind of disconcerting.

The five of them sat and talked for a while, going over what was going on outside of Severus' rooms for Draco and discussing what they thought might happen during the year. About thirty minutes into the conversation, Harry stiffened and looked at the door; both Ron and Hermione noticed immediately...it took Draco and Ginny another minute before they also noticed Harry's stiff posture.

"What is it Harry? What's wrong?" Ron moved so that he stood between Harry and the outside door, facing the door; he was joined by Hermione and they both drew their wands. Ginny and Draco scurried into Draco's room and closed the door all but just a sliver, so that they could see what was going on in the room. They had a minor scuffle to see who would get to peek through the opening; Ginny won, but Draco satisfied himself with putting his arms around the red-headed girl. _Just so that I can move her out of the way if it's trouble._

"He _**is**_ back...Dumbledore's in the castle."

Ron and Hermione backed up slightly, so that they were directly in front of Harry, with very little room left...just enough for Harry to manoeuvre his chair. All three of them jumped when a loud knock came at the door.

~OOooOO~

Regulus left Minerva's office as Albus was starting to explain his reasons for being in the castle; he wanted to get to Severus' rooms, where he knew Harry and Draco would be. As their bond had been explained to him, Regulus knew that Harry would sense what was going through Charlie's mind...he would know that Dumbledore was back. He wanted to reassure his nephew that everything was alright, and that there was nothing to worry about...yet.

He knocked on Severus' door and heard a voice that was neither Harry's nor Draco's. "Who is it?" He hadn't been around Ron enough to be certain that it was his voice, but he thought that it might be.

"It's David Granger...I need to check to make sure that Harry is alright."

The door opened slightly, but the wards weren't lowered. Regulus saw one bright blue eye staring at him from behind the door. "How do I know it's you? Tell me something that I would know about yourself."

Regulus leaned in and whispered loud enough for Ron to hear. "My name is Regulus Black." The door opened and he felt the wards temporarily lower; Ron backed away and let Hermione's father through the door, but didn't lower his wand. He stared at his daughter's boyfriend; Ron had moved back so that he was in front of both Hermione and Harry, protecting them both.

Hermione was fairly certain it was her father, but she needed to make sure. "Drop the glamour if you're really my father." She smiled in relief as the glamour melted away and Regulus stood before them. "Dad! What's wrong?"

He looked around, noticing that Draco was not in the room. "Where's Draco?"

Harry gestured over his shoulder. "In his room with Ginny, probably watching us through a crack in the door. He doesn't know you, so he won't come out while you're here."

Regulus nodded; Severus had told him what had happened with Lucius and Draco's subsequent quasi-breakdown. "Alright everyone, listen up...you too Draco. Albus Dumbledore is in the castle; according to what Harry, Charlie and Severus have felt, he's been here for a few weeks, just watching. He's in Minerva's office right now, hopefully explaining why he came back."

Harry closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of his chair; he hadn't wanted to be right, hadn't wanted Dumbledore to have made a reappearance. He concentrated on Charlie for a moment.

_Are you alright?_

_Yes, but I'm not happy._

_I know, I can feel it. What's he saying?_

_He said he came back to watch over you and make sure you were ready to face You-Know-Who._

Harry let his disbelief filter through the connection. _Does he really think that we're going to believe that?_

_I don't know...Minerva's laced his tea with Veritaserum, but it doesn't seem to be working._

_If he's popping those sherbet lemons, it's not going to; high quantities of sugar cancel out the effects of Veritaserum._

_Hold on._

Harry sat back and relaxed, waiting for Charlie to continue with their conversation. After several minutes, he heard Charlie's laughter through the connection and felt the tingling he associated with Charlie being in a good mood. _What happened?_

_I told Severus and he took the old goat's sherbet lemons away from him. You should have seen the look on the old man's face. Severus just gave him some sort of potion to get the sugar out of his system and then we're going to try the Veritaserum again. I'll let you know what happens._

_Alright._

Harry called out over his shoulder, "Hey Draco, did you know that sugar cancels out Veritaserum?"

There was a moment of silence behind the door and then Ginny's voice popped up. "He said that he knew, but he doesn't know anyone who could tolerate enough sugar to do that."

"Oh yes he does...we all do...Albus Dumbledore." Harry looked back at Regulus. "They tried to give Dumbledore Veritaserum, but the amount of sugar in his system was blocking it. Severus gave him something to get rid of the sugar and then they're going to try the Veritaserum again. Charlie said that he'd let me know how it goes."

Everyone nodded, imagining Dumbledore's shock when he would be forced to tell the complete truth...for once.


	50. Chapter 49

~OOooOO~

Severus waited twenty minutes to administer the Veritaserum again to Albus Dumbledore; he was taking no chances, the potion to rid Albus' system of the surfeit of sugar should have worked within ten minutes, but he wanted to make sure. Once the truth serum had been administered directly to Albus' tongue, Severus stepped back and waited; as he watched, Albus' eyes glazed over and his facial muscles went slack. Severus turned to Minerva and nodded; it was now time to begin the questioning.

(Questions asked by Minerva and answered by Albus)

"State your full name."

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

"State your age in full years."

"One hundred and fifteen."

"What are your reasons for coming to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at this time?"

"I needed to ascertain whether or not Harry Potter-Black is ready to face Lord Voldemort."

"Is that your only reason for being here?"

"No...it has come to my attention, via several portraits that I share with this office, that Regulus Black is not dead, as I previously thought, and I wished to see this miracle for myself. I also wanted to see if Harry had recovered from his injuries."

"Are there any other reasons, other than the three previously stated?"

"No...those are my only reasons for being here."

"Why are you taking such a personal interest in Mr. Potter-Black's welfare when you are the cause of a good portion of his problems?"

"My conscious wouldn't allow me to stay away any longer. Mr. Potter-Black should be healed from his injuries, but the portraits informed me that he is reliant upon a levitating chair for movement."

"You knew the scope and breadth of his injuries prior to leaving Hogwarts; why should your conscious bother you about them?"

"I caused those injuries. If I hadn't been so determined to push for the completion of his bond with Mr. Weasley, he would never have gained those injuries. I was so single-minded in my pursuit of what I believed to be the perfect weapon to use against Voldemort, that I lost sight of the fact that he is still only a child...a very powerful child, but a child nonetheless."

"Albus, unless you guided Mr. Goyle's hand when he hit the bludger, you were not responsible for Mr. Potter-Black's injuries...you are aware of that, correct?"

"No, they are my fault; I placed Charles Weasley under the Imperius Curse to force him to complete the bond with Harry. I watched as Harry descended into madness because of my actions. If I hadn't placed Mr. Weasley under that curse, Harry wouldn't have begun losing his mind; he would have been able to avoid the bludger during the game and been able to retain his seat on his broom. I can only assume, from what I've seen, that, now that Harry has reached the age of sixteen, his magic has repaired the damage I did to his mind."

Minerva looked at the four men left in the room, Regulus having left before the questioning started; her eyes asked them what she should say. Severus looked at Charlie and raised an eyebrow, asking permission to do the talking; Charlie nodded in response and sat back in his chair, content to watch the show.

"Albus, while we are happy to know that you understand that what you did was wrong, you are missing a few pertinent facts. We will be pleased to go over these points once the questioning is over." Severus motioned to Minerva to continue with the questioning.

"Albus, what do you know about You-Know-Who's return?"

"He had created horcruxes with pieces of his soul...it's why he did not die in 1981. One of those horcruxes has been destroyed; the diary that the students found in Harry's second year was a horcrux. To my understanding, there are at least five more."

"What are the objects that he has used for his horcruxes?" Severus couldn't help himself and took over the questioning from Minerva; he knew of several items that were considered sacred to the Dark Lord and could have been used to create the horcruxes.

"The diary, Marvolo Gaunt's ring, Nagini, a locket that belonged to Salazar Slytherin, a cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem...there is also the possibility of a seventh horcrux."

"What would that seventh horcrux be?"

"There is the possibility of the scar that Harry has on his forehead being a horcrux; Voldemort killed Lily Potter right before trying to kill Harry, so, if another piece of his soul was broken off, it could have been sent into that scar." The room resounded with silence at those words...then all hell broke loose.

"Harry is _**NOT**_ a horcrux!"

"_**NO!**_ That's just not possible!"

"That's not true! It can't be!"

Severus held up a hand to try to calm the two mutts and the red-head that had all stood and begun yelling at the former Headmaster. "We don't know if the scar is a horcrux or not; there is a way to find out."

"How? How do we find out if it is a horcrux? And, if it is, how do we get it out?" Charlie sat back down and dropped his head into his hands; he wasn't going to lose Harry...not now that they had finally bonded and he was _**finally**_ with the young man who had held his heart for years. "How do we find out if it is?"

"Believe it or not, there is a simple test we can perform. Poppy will have to do it, as it is a medical scan, but it will tell us if there is anything other than Harry residing in his body; we can have her do this tonight, so that we can all rest easier."

Minerva slumped down into her chair, surprising everyone; they had never seen the older witch any way other than almost completely composed. "Severus, administer the antidote; we need to see Mr. Potter-Black immediately. I'll get Poppy and meet you wherever he is."

"He and Draco are in my quarters; they should have been joined by Mr. Weasley, Miss Weasley and Miss Granger by this time. I will go down there now with Charlie, Sirius and Remus; we will explain what we need to do and, if necessary, give him a calming draught, so that he doesn't make himself ill with worry. We will meet you down there...what are you going to do with him?" Severus jerked his head in Albus' direction; although he would never admit it, he was seriously disturbed by what Albus had said. He handed the antidote to Minerva and watched as she administered the correct dosage.

"Albus, you need to leave the school...now. Remember that you are not welcome here without an invitation; the castle will see you to the edge of the grounds, where you can apparate home from."

The older man nodded silently...he knew that he had far out-stayed his welcome.

~OOooOO~

Poppy waved her wand over Harry's body and muttered a string of Latin words that no one but Severus understood; Harry's body glowed blue for a moment and then the glow faded. They all watched as she cast the spell three more times, each time with a different emphasis on certain words; the result was the same each time. She sighed and lowered her wand; Charlie helped Harry to sit up and pulled him into his lap.

"Everyone can breathe a little easier; there is no sign of anything other than Harry being inside Harry's body. He is _**not**_ a horcrux."

Severus stood and walked over to Harry and Charlie. "If I may, there is one more spell I would like to try."

"What is it?" Charlie was still afraid of a spell showing that Harry was a horcrux.

"It's a spell that the Aurors used to use to show if someone had the dark mark anywhere other than on their arms; it will show if there is any remnant of the Dark Lord's soul residing in Harry...anywhere." He raised his wand and, at Harry's nod, cast the spell.

"_Imus Me Malum!_" Harry's body once more lit up, this time with a light purple glow. "If there were any piece, part or other bit of the Dark Lord's soul, it would show up in black...Charlie, please help me look while I hold up the spell."

Charlie looked carefully all over Harry's body, helping him to stand so that they could see his back and his legs. "There's nothing...there's no black anywhere."

Severus lowered his wand slowly and gently reached out to take Harry in his arms before his legs collapsed. The others could all see the tears falling from Severus' eyes and realised just how affected he had been by the thought of Harry being a horcrux; this was something that no one had been expecting, as no one had ever seen the man cry before.

_**"FATHER!"**_ Draco ran out of his bedroom, where he had been with Ron, Hermione and Ginny. He didn't know what had happened to make his father cry, but he was very upset to see the tears. He threw his arms around both Severus and Harry and held them tightly before stiffening; he had just remembered that the room was filled with people he wasn't supposed to be comfortable around.

Harry looked at Draco and saw the 'Deer in the Headlights' look on his face; Draco seemed incapable of movement right then and Harry looked back up at Severus. Severus understood and picked his son up in his arms as Charlie took Harry in his; he carried him into his room and sent the other three out into the living room. Everyone stood, milling about, until Severus returned.

"As glad as I am that the tests all proved negative, I'm going to have to ask you to leave right now. Draco wants to talk to me and I want to give him my undivided attention."

Everyone agreed and cleared the room quickly; they all went back to their own rooms or, in the case of the teens, back to the Gryffindor common room. The ones that didn't know the situation all hoped that Draco wasn't going to regress back to where he had been before.

Harry and Charlie celebrated in the most appropriate manner that they could think of...making sure to ward the rooms so that none of Harry's magic escaped again.


	51. Chapter 50

_**A/N: I am sooo sorry it has taken so long to get another chapter of this story up. I've been dealing with RL and a massive case of writer's block on the plot. This one has a limited amount of time left, as I am beginning to run out of viable plot devices for this story...my imagination appears to have taken a leave of absence for the moment.**_

~OOooOO~

The weeks continued to pass, slowly it seemed to Harry, as Severus and Lucius worked frantically to find and destroy the remaining horcruxes. Lucius knew the locations of most of the items used to make the horcruxes and gave that information to Severus; Severus passed the information on to Minerva, who contacted someone she trusted. She made the person give an oath that they would bring the items back to her for destruction; she never told anyone who this person was, only that she trusted them with this task and knew that they would complete it...she said that this person owed her quite a bit and hinted that she had called in a life debt to guarantee their assistance.

Minerva sat behind her desk and rested her chin on one hand; she had four of the five remaining horcruxes in her possession and was unsuccessfully trying to find a way to destroy them. Her mind rapidly went over the options available to her. Albus had destroyed the diary using a little bit of the dark magic that seemed to dwell in the soul of greedy powerful men and women; Minerva was neither greedy nor exceptionally powerful. True, she was one of the best in England at Transfiguration, but she didn't have the need or wont to use any sort of ability she might have to further herself into a position of power. Both Albus and Lord Voldemort had both the need and the wont; just look where it had got them...one was an exile, voluntarily leaving his power behind because he hadn't had the ability to fight off the liquid version of a spell that had no effect on him...the other was the most feared Dark Lord in centuries, never leaving the confines of his lair because he was too weak to function on his own.

She sighed heavily and called a house elf; once the elf appeared, she asked them to summon Severus to her office. As she waited for her Potions Professor, she went over more options in her mind. This was how Severus found her, chin still resting on her hand while the other hand was absent-mindedly tracing patterns on her desk.

"Minerva? You asked for me?"

"Oh, Severus...have a seat, please." She opened a drawer and pulled out a black sack; Severus could feel the magic and protective wards on the bag. As Minerva handed it over to him, she stared him right in the eyes.

"I believe that you may have a potion that will destroy these; please use it at once." With those words, Severus knew that she had handed him, literally, a bag full of death...the horcruxes.

"Is this all but the snake?"

Minerva nodded. "Yes, this is the rest of them. I'm not quite certain how to reach the last one; from what I understand, he refuses to let the snake out of his sight."

Severus nodded absently; he knew that the Dark Lord wouldn't allow Nagini that far away from him. They needed to find a way to kill the beast, but doing so would place the person at high risk for immediate death; then they wouldn't know if Nagini had died, or if she still lived. "I will speak with my mate to find out if there is a way to separate Nagini from him; if anyone knows how to come in between them, it will be him." Severus was still very careful not to mention Lucius' name where anyone, human or portrait, could overhear him.

"Please do so, but I do _**not**_ want either of you to risk yourself for this. Try to find a way that places no one in any kind of danger."

Severus nodded and left the room. He knew that he was probably going to need to do this on his own; he wouldn't be able to tell anyone...not Minerva, not Draco and, most definitely, not Lucius. As he entered the corridor leading to his office, he was joined by Gregory Goyle.

"Professor, I need to speak with you, please."

Severus raised one eyebrow; Mr. Goyle hadn't come to him with any information recently, so he had to wonder what had happened to necessitate a consultation now. "Follow me, Mr. Goyle. I am going to assume that this has to do with your extra assignments."

"Yes Sir, it does." Greg nodded as he followed Severus into his office; he watched as his professor ward the room for silence and security.

"What is it, Gregory?"

He took a deep breath. "Sir, you wouldn't know this because your mark has been removed, but something happened last night at the meeting." Greg paused, not knowing how to go on, and looked up at Severus. "Sir...the snake..."

Severus' eyes widened; the boy was going to tell him something about the one horcrux that they couldn't readily get their hands on. "Go on, Gregory."

"Sir, Theo did something stupid...well, I think it's stupid...it's probably not, though. He put his father under the Imperius Curse and made him feed the snake poison when it was time for her feeding; afterwards, he removed the curse and Obliviated him. Theo said that it is a slow-acting poison and won't kill her for a couple of days, but when she dies, it's going to look like a natural death. Theo said that it should help you...Sir, what did he mean?"

Severus sat back against the back of the chair and slid down slightly, almost afraid to believe what Gregory was telling him; the snake was going to die in a few days...that horcrux would be gone. He knew that the Dark Lord wouldn't have the magical strength to create another horcrux once Nagini was dead; he didn't have the power for that any more. He looked up at his student and shook his head slightly. "It...is nothing that you need to know...for your own safety; it is bad enough that Mr. Nott knows." Severus straightened in his chair; he needed to find out how Theodore Nott had found out about his search for the horcruxes. "Please return to the Slytherin common room and send Mr. Nott to me."

Greg nodded and stood to leave; as he turned to pull the door closed behind him, he risked a glance back at Severus. He was shocked to find the man had put his head down on his desk and looked like he might be crying...or laughing...he couldn't tell the difference.

~OOooOO~

Harry scooted himself backward over the carpeting in front of the hearth; he knew he could probably use his walker to go the few steps to the book case, but he hadn't wanted to use up what little strength he had in his legs for walking...he was going to need all of the energy he had to stand to find the book he wanted.

Charlie watched Harry covertly; he didn't want his husband to know that he was being watched. As Harry slowly stood, Charlie had to lock his muscles to keep from hurrying over to his side to support him. Eyeing his mate a little more closely, he finally saw signs that Harry was carrying their child; as he carefully reached up for a book, his shirt pulled up and exposed the slight bump of a belly that Harry had pointed out to him just that morning. Charlie felt a wave of affection and pride flow over him as he watched Harry find the book he wanted, smile triumphantly and then quickly sit down in the nearest chair; because he had been so concentrated on finding his book, Harry hadn't noticed that Charlie had quietly moved the chair much closer to him than it had been.

Both men were extremely proud of Harry's progress with his physical therapy; he was now able to take several steps before his legs gave out on him and he could stand, with only the walker for support, for almost fifteen minutes. Healer Jeffries, the physical therapist, had hesitantly given them his permission to increase the amount of therapy and the frequency of the sessions; he hadn't wanted Harry to overdo things, especially not with him being pregnant.

"What are you reading?" Charlie finally left the kitchen area to join Harry by the hearth.

"Hmm? Oh, just researching a couple of spells that look promising."

"Which ones?" Charlie moved another chair close to Harry's side, so that they could both look over the spells in the book.

"Well, I don't want to have to use the Killing Curse, if I don't have to." He held up a hand to stop Charlie from speaking. "I know that I'm probably going to have to use that one, but, if there's another way, I want to find it."

Seeing the haunted look in Harry's eyes, Charlie wrapped his arms around his husband and held him closely. He knew that Harry didn't like thinking about having to kill someone, even though it was what was going to happen; it was the only known way to get rid of Voldemort...soul and all. He applied himself to reading the spells with Harry, determined to help him try to find another way.


	52. Chapter 51

_**Please read the A/N at the bottom of the page.**_

~OOooOO~

Voldemort's hairless brows drew together in thought; Thomas Goyle shivered slightly in revulsion...his lord definitely was not nice to look at now. _Not like before_, he thought absently, _when he had looked human...now he just looks like...like...well, he doesn't look human anymore._

Unaware of his follower's thoughts, Voldemort continued to think about his situation; he was as weak as a baby and needed assistance to do the smallest things. He had taken to apparating directly to wherever he wanted to go in his manor; he didn't have the energy or strength to even walk from his bed to the bathroom in the morning. He knew his spells were much weaker than they had been before; the fact that he had been able to hold Bellatrix under the Cruciatus Curse for only a few minutes without causing much, if any, damage had been proof of that. Not only that, but he still wasn't able to hold a spell for very long; he didn't honestly think that, if he had to, he could kill anyone with the Killing Curse...he just couldn't put the strength behind it anymore.

He began to come to the conclusion that he might have to end this before he was completely ready to do so; it appeared that he would never regain the strength he had lost by using the wrong blood for the resurrection ritual, so he would have to use all of his cunning and ingenuity to make the situation work in his favour. The problem with that was that he wasn't all that cunning...that had been Lucius' job, and Abraxas' before him.

On another note, Nagini seemed to be feeling a little off; maybe he'd have to get a magical creatures expert in here to have a look at her.

~OOooOO~

Severus brewed the potion to destroy the horcruxes that Minerva had given him; he was very careful to follow the instructions implicitly...he wanted nothing to go wrong with this potion. As he added the basilisk venom, he strained to listen for a knock on his door; not that he was expecting to hear one, but it would have been nice. He was hoping to hear from someone...anyone...that the snake had died; he wasn't exactly certain as to when that was going to happen and wanted to be prepared for the inevitable when it did. Severus was fairly optimistic that, when Nagini died from the poison, the Dark Lord was going to be inconsolable; he was probably going to torture a few of his followers for allowing something like that to happen. He would have to warn Mr. Nott to avoid the Death Eater meetings, if at all possible; Severus didn't want one of his students to be tortured for that.

Severus paid close attention as he carefully lowered the first horcrux into the violently purple liquid in the large cauldron. He reflexively flinched when a black cloud hissed out of the cauldron, followed very closely by a piercing scream. One down...four more to go.

~OOooOO~

The Dark Lord stared in sorrow at the limp form of his familiar, laying still at his feet; Nagini had been with him ever since his shade had reconnected with his mind...a year after the Potter brat had destroyed his body. He slowly looked up from the body of his closest companion and centred his gaze on the trembling veterinarian on his knees just behind the snake; Voldemort wanted to kill the hapless man, but something in him, probably that vestigial human bit that he had thought he'd gotten rid of long ago, realised that it was not this man's fault. Snakes, even magical ones, didn't live forever; Nagini had lived a long time for a snake.

Voldemort understood, in some small part of his brain, that he was in shock and ought to get that taken care of, but another part of him just didn't care; that second part wanted to kill, maim, torture..._**HURT**_...someone for his familiar's death. With a negligent wave of his wand, the vet was thrown back ten feet to land on his belly; the man wisely decided to stay where he was and not move...he was lucky to have escaped with his life.

Theodore Nott hoped he could escape from the Dark Lord's chambers before the long-lasting Polyjuice Potion he had taken wore off; he knew he had been risking his life to make sure that the snake was dead, but when his father had sent him to get the magical veterinarian, he just had to switch places with the man. When Theo had explained to the vet what was going to happen, that the Dark Lord's familiar was most likely dying, he was more than willing to allow Theo to take his place and be Obliviated; the man was now in the wizarding sector of New York City, in America, and remembered nothing of his previous life in England. Now...how to get out to inform Professor Snape that the snake was dead?

_**"Get . Out . Of . My . Sight!"**_ The malevolently hissed words prompted Theo to scramble to his feet and bow his way out of the darkened room; he wasn't going to wait around to be told twice. Right before he left the room, he heard a sound...a sound that he'd never heard before...the sound of soft sobs filling the air...the Dark Lord was crying.

~OOooOO~

Severus stared hard at Theo Nott, trying to make certain the the boy wasn't lying. He pushed slightly at the boy's mind and was immediately allowed entrance; Severus could tell the difference between a forced Legilimentic entry and being allowed to enter freely into someone's mind. The memories that Severus saw proved that Nott was telling the truth...and was that the Dark Lord crying? He sat back in chair and closed his eyes. "Mr. Nott...you are certain?"

"I'm positive, Sir...the snake is dead." Theo had shown up at Severus' door just after the Polyjuice Potion had worn off; he couldn't exactly expect Professor Snape to believe him, if he looked like someone else. "I confirmed that Nagini was dead; the Dark Lord threw me a couple of feet across the floor, probably expecting me to go further and for it to hurt more, before he sent me out of the room."

"What of the true expert?"

"He's somewhere in New York, in the United States; he remembers nothing about his life here...I made sure of that."

Severus nodded; his work, _**their**_ work, in destroying the horcruxes was done. The Dark Lord was fully human again and could be killed...now to confer with Black, Lupin, Harry and Charlie about how to go about doing just that.

~OOooOO~

Poppy Pomfrey looked out at her ward and drew a deep, fortifying breath; she was not looking forward to this day. Today was the day that everyone had decided to have the scans done to find out what the sex of their baby was going to be. On one side of the locked and warded room lay Harry Potter-Black and Sirius Black; on the other side lay Molly Weasley and, shockingly enough, Lucius Malfoy. Minerva had sworn the Weasleys and Poppy to secrecy about Lucius being alive; no one could find out that the man was still breathing, when he was supposed to have been dead for almost two years now. She girded her mental strength and walked out into the open ward.

Poppy smiled at all of the expecting parents and moved to the side of Lucius' bed; she was going to do his scan first, so that he could leave and get back to his safe house. Looking Severus straight in the eyes, she nodded and pulled her wand out of her robes; she drew a counter-clockwise circle above Lucius' abdomen and chanted a phrase in Latin. A three-dimensional projection appeared above the man and hovered there; Poppy began pointing things out for the fathers.

"This is the baby's head and this is the body; these are the arms and those, the legs. Now if you will look here..." she pointed to a faint colour that was surrounding the baby, "...this is what tells us whether the baby is a boy or a girl. Gentlemen, judging by the pinkish colour there, you are going to be blessed with a little girl."

Severus dropped to his knees beside his mate and ran his hands reverently over Lucius' slight belly before raising one hand to cup the other man's cheek. "A girl...bloody fucking Hell! What are we supposed to do with a girl?" Not that Severus was complaining, but there hadn't been a girl born in the Malfoy line in several centuries. Draco knelt on the other side of the bed and looked at his fathers.

"You treat her the same as you would a boy...just put her in dresses. Right?" He looked over at Molly for confirmation.

The older woman let out a weak chuckle, still trying to get used to the fact that Lucius was really alive. "Sort of...she's going to be no different, really, until she gets old enough to let you know what she likes; that's what I did with Ginny. I think I still have some of her baby clothes in the attic, sealed with preservation charms of course." Lucius and Severus nodded their thanks to Molly for her offer.

Cancelling the spell on Lucius, Poppy walked around the bed and cast the same spell on Molly. The motherly woman held her breath; she had a feeling that they were going to be getting more than they counted on with this pregnancy...it was the same feeling she'd had before Fred and George were born. Poppy gasped as the projection confirmed Molly's thoughts.

"Congratulations Molly...Arthur; it looks like you're going to be having another set of twins." Poppy cancelled that spell and cast another one, a little more in depth than the first. "This is one head, and this is the other; there are two amniotic sacs, so they are fraternal twins."

Arthur stared in awe at the projection, trying to figure out what colour it was surrounding the two babies. "What are they?"

Poppy poked the projection with her wand and said another phrase in Latin; the murky colour separated and formed two distinct colours. "Congratulations...you are having a boy _**and**_ a girl." She moved quickly and cast a cushioning charm on the floor just before Arthur hit it; casting another spell, she moved Arthur from the floor to the bed next to Molly...she'd just leave him to wake up on his own.

Poppy walked across the room, past a slightly smirking Minerva, to stand at the side of Sirius' bed; this was the one she was most curious about. Being a medi-witch, she knew that, sometimes, werewolves could impregnate their mates with more than one child; if that was so with Sirius, the man was going to be on bed rest for the entirety of the pregnancy. Holding her breath, she cast the spell.

Remus held tight to Sirius' hand; he was praying that there was only one child. This pregnancy was already hard enough on Sirius; having more than one would make it almost impossible for him to do anything safely. He watched as the projection appeared above Sirius' abdomen and was relieved to see only one baby with a very definite blue colour surrounding it. "That means it's a boy, right?" At Poppy's nod, Remus looked at Sirius and smiled...a beautiful, wide smile. "A boy, Padfoot...we're going to have another son!" He reached to wipe away his mate's tears and looked over at their oldest child, lying two beds down from them; Harry was crying, too, and smiling like he would never stop...he was going to have a _**brother!**_

Poppy now moved slowly over to the last bed; she was wondering, since the other pregnancies had been caused by the release of Harry's magic, if he was going to be having twins, like his mother. She cast the spell and, again, held her breath. Only one baby...with the same definite blue colour that had surrounded his brother.

"We're having a boy, Charlie! We're having a boy!" Charlie gathered his husband in his arms as they stared at the projection.

Two girls and three boys was the final verdict on the sexes of the children who were all conceived on the same night back in July. The wizarding world wouldn't know what hit them!

_**~OOooOO~**_

_**A/N: As much as I really don't want to say this...this will be the last update on this story and Blood Ties made on this site. I am moving over to Archive of Our Own...under the same pen name - marksmom (all lower case). With the site-wide purges that have been happening, for something the site moderators haven't really cared about for almost eight years, and now the addition of allowing anonymous reviews (and giving no choice to the authors), I feel it is time that I moved my stories to another site. Archive of Our Own is a site that allows authors to post their stories without fear of purges and it encourages the authors' imaginations, not inhibits them with censorship.**_

_**If you still wish to follow my stories, they will be posted on Archive of Our Own from now on; I think it behooves me to move over there before I lose my stories. I am still in the process of transferring all of them over, but I have 19 of them already posted. Please visit me, Wyrdsmith, IBegToDreamAndDiffer, Slayer of Destiny and Allthingsmagical over on Archive of Our Own.**_

_**I thank you for supporting me and my imagination.**_

_**marksmom**_


	53. Chapter 52

_**A/N: Sorry for the long wait...Real life got the better of me and took me down for almost the entire month of September. Once again, I am SO sorry; but, never fear...I will NOT abandon a story!**_

~OOooOO~

Now that everyone knew what the babies were going to be, they felt that they could relax a little; Sirius had been put on partial bed rest and had to spend at least six hours a day lying propped up in bed. Lucius and Narcissa would usually floo directly into Sirius' and Remus' quarters, to spend time with him; Narcissa also wanted to make sure that her cousin was taking good care of himself. She didn't quite trust him, knowing how he was during his Hogwarts years; she needn't have worried.

Remus had wheedled an oath out of his mate that he would stay in bed for the required six hours, in three hour intervals; he would join Remus for his first class, go back to their rooms for three hours, when he was joined by Lucius and Narcissa, and then go to Regulus' classroom for the first class after lunch. After that, he would head back to their quarters and nap until it was time for dinner; it was more than the required six hours in bed, but Sirius was taking no chances...he wanted this baby and wanted it to be safe and healthy.

Harry, since he was basically confined to his chair, had no problems with obeying Poppy's orders to take it easy; he was now required to do his physical therapy with either Poppy, Severus or Healer Jeffries. None of those three adults would allow him to overdo things, nor would they allow him to work himself to exhaustion; that had been Charlie's biggest worry...that Harry would collapse from being overly tired. Harry wasn't happy about it, but he knew better than to argue with them; he also found out that Severus and Charlie had spoken with all of his friends...now they wouldn't allow him to do much of anything either.

Harry spent much of his free time in the library, researching spells that could possibly be used to defeat Voldemort; he knew that the monster was now completely human once more, so destroying him should be much easier than it would have been if the horcruxes were still around. He found several that looked promising, but they all relied on him using much of his magical strength to accomplish his goal; he couldn't...wouldn't...risk his child like that. He would prefer to wait until the baby was born, but Harry also knew that Voldemort was unlikely to wait much longer. Severus had told him that his spy had brought back information that the Dark Lord was extremely weak and couldn't walk on his own; while this would make catching him much easier, no one knew exactly how magically powerful the man was. Harry wasn't about to risk himself, much less anyone else, so he wanted to be completely certain that what he wanted to do wouldn't harm anyone, except for his intended target.

Charlie and Severus were helping him look for spells; Lucius and Narcissa were looking through the Malfoy and Black libraries, to see if there was something there that could assist them. Whether he liked it or not, there were at least ten people, not including anyone who was carrying a child, that were going to be backing him; their magical strength, combined with his, should make very short work of the weakened Dark Lord. Severus received a frantic fire-call from Lucius not long after he had started looking through the Malfoy library.

"Severus! Severus, where are you?"

Having been alerted by the wards on his floo, Severus left his seventh year N.E.W.T. Level class on their own, threatening to disembowel anyone who caused a mess, and almost ran to his quarters. "Lucius? Are you alright? What's wrong? Is something the matter? What's wrong? Answer me, damn you!"

"Sev, take a breath and let me answer. I've found something!"

"Something to help Harry? What have you found? Come through." Severus held out a hand and helped his almost six months pregnant mate step out of the hearth. He rested a hand on Lucius' very apparent belly and smiled softly to himself; they had thought that Draco would be their only child, now they had been given the gift of a miracle. He ushered his mate to the closest chair and knelt beside it, hand still resting on their baby; Lucius smiled, a true, unguarded smile, and placed a hand on top of Severus'.

"What I've found is a process that will allow all of us...and I do mean _**all**_ of us...to join our magicks to destroy the Dark Lord. It shouldn't harm anyone who is pregnant or their baby, or babies in Molly's case; all it requires is the focusing of our magic on a certain point. I've done the theory and, if Harry focuses on the Dark Lord, through his scar, and we focus on Harry's connection to him, we should be able to destroy him without ever coming anywhere near him."

"What will all that magic do to Harry, though? Won't it harm him to have that much magic focused on him?" Severus was not willing to risk anything happening to Harry...Charlie would kill him.

"Well, it's either that, or we all, including Harry, focus all of our magic on someone's dark mark; those marks are also a direct link to him. I don't know if he ever used you for this, but he used my mark at least once to replenish his magic after he was brought back; he drained part of my core...it took me three days to recover from that, and it took him even longer. If we're all focusing our magic at the same time, it should overload his system, causing a rather large mess."

"A rather large mess? What kind of mess?"

"Literally, it will cause an overload of every system in the Dark Lord's body, causing them to explode. We will be pushing magic into him, instead of him pulling it out of us."

"Meaning that _**HE**_ will explode?"

"Exactly! Narcissa and I tried the spell out on a mouse that one of the house elves caught for us to practice on; the creature collapsed under the stress of the magic and then exploded...it was disgusting. It should work the same way if we all focus on the dark mark on, say, Bellatrix's arm." Lucius watched as a light began to shine through the worry and dread in Severus' eyes; they had been searching for two months for a solution of how to destroy the Dark Lord...and it looked like they had finally found something.

"We're going to need someone to be there when it happens, so they can report back that he's actually gone. I think I may know someone who would be more than pleased to help with this; one of my informants would most likely consider this to be more than adequate repayment for his services to me." Theo Nott had definitely enjoyed being the one to tell the Dark Lord that Nagini had died...Severus couldn't offer him anything better than to watch the Dark Lord himself get blasted into tiny pieces. "What will it do to Bellatrix?"

"I don't know...it shouldn't harm her, but, if it does...well, she's crazy anyway. Narcissa and I have already discussed what to do with her, after it's all over; we had decided to leave her locked up in a secure ward for the criminally insane. Oh, don't look at me like that...you know she's about as crazy as a person can get."

Severus nodded and thought more about the logistics of this actually happening. "We would have to get the Ministry's permission to do this and, if something should go wrong and it does kill Bellatrix, we'll probably have to promise to bury her at our own expense...and that doesn't mean dumping her off of a cliff! She'll have performed a service to the Light at that point."

Lucius wrinkled his nose to show his mate how he felt about that thought. "Alright...we'll take on the responsibility of burying her...honourably... if she dies."

~O~

Severus cancelled the rest of his classes for that day, asking Minerva to call a meeting of everyone who might possibly want in on the end of the Dark Lord; he was surprised by the amount of people who showed up:

Harry, Charlie, Sirius, Remus, Regulus, Jean _(even though she couldn't contribute)_, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Pansy, Bill, Fred, George, Percy, Ginny, Molly, Arthur, Draco _(by proxy)_, Severus, Lucius and Narcissa _(both also by proxy)_, Minerva, Filius, Pomona Sprout, Albus _(amidst arguments from almost everyone)_, Gregory Goyle _(shocking almost everyone)_ and Poppy Pomfrey.

Severus looked around at the rather large group of people and wondered at the amount of love and support for Harry that these people represented; none of them, except for possibly Albus, would do anything to harm Harry and they all wanted this to be over for him. They all knew, _**especially**_ Albus, what Harry had gone through for the wizarding world and they all wanted for him to be able to relax and enjoy the rest of his life.

"Alright everyone! Please listen very closely...we believe that we have found a way to destroy the Dark Lord without anyone actually coming into contact with him. An agent I have working for me has found a process that will allow us to channel our magicks together and concentrate them at a Death Eater's dark mark; this will allow us to push our magic into the Dark Lord, causing an overload of magic in his system."

"Severus, won't that..."

"Yes, Regulus, that will, indeed, cause the Dark Lord to explode. My agent has already conducted field testing on rodents and the like, and found that the excess of magic will cause the body's systems to explode, thereby causing the body to explode."

"What about the horcruxes?" Sirius wanted to make sure that there was no way for that kind of evil to ever return. Oh, there would always be Dark Lords and evil wizards, but Voldemort was, by far, the most dark, the most evil.

"The horcruxes are gone; they have already been eliminated as part of the threat. I am working with the Ministry to see if they will allow us to use Bellatrix Lestrange's dark mark for this procedure. We don't know exactly what this will do to her, so if any of you have an unmentioned attachment to the insane bitch, let me know now." Severus paused for effect and smirked at the snorts of laughter that made the rounds of the group. "I didn't think so."

Harry cautiously raised his hand. "Professor? What will this do to those of us who are pregnant?"

"This will not cause any harm to anyone who is currently carrying a child. We will just be concentrating our magic on a certain point, Bellatrix's dark mark, and pushing as much of it as we can into the Dark Lord. Poppy, I am going to ask that you not be a part of this, as I think you will serve the cause much better by monitoring those who are pregnant, so that they don't drain themselves too much." The medi-witch nodded her agreement; she would make sure that everyone understood that she would be pulling anyone whose magical levels became too low. "I would like to arrange for this to happen in the very near future; I don't think that the Dark Lord will be able to wait much longer before acting. I have been informed that he is dangerously weak and is becoming weaker every day. He has been draining magic from what followers he has left, but there are so few of them that he is not getting enough magic to sustain himself for more than a day or two at a time; the process drains the donor so badly that they are unable to participate again for several days, as they have to let their magical core build back up."

"Will your 'agent' let you know when he is at his weakest, so that we can do this then?" This was a surprisingly intelligent question from Gregory Goyle. Severus didn't miss the slight stressing of the word 'agent; Greg knew who his agent was.

"Yes, Mr. Goyle...I will be contacting them as soon as I have permission from the Ministry to use Bellatrix's dark mark. Once I have that permission, please be ready at a moment's notice; I won't have much time to get the information from my agent and then set all of this up."

"How do we do it? I mean, how are we going to know that we're sending the same type of magic? Won't that matter?" Again, Severus was surprised by the questioner; apparently Ronald Weasley was also smarter than he had given him credit for.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley, it will matter. We need to make sure that we are all sending as close to pure magic as we can. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, pure magic is simply that...pure. There is no intent, there is no spell; you will just gather your magical strength and push it out of your body, through your wand, and direct it at the dark mark. It really doesn't matter what you're thinking about as long as you do not speak the words of a spell." He looked around the room at all of the nodding heads and the few that weren't nodding. "Misters Longbottom, Weasley and Goyle, you will all come to me tonight and I will explain the process in a little more detail. Is there anyone who is also having difficulty understanding how to summon pure magic?"

A few more hands went into the air. "Miss Granger, Miss Weasley and Misters Fred and George Weasley, you will be paired with Regulus Black; he will instruct you, so that you know what you are doing. Are we all set then?" When everyone nodded in unison, Severus smirked. "Excellent! I will see the three of you after dinner; Regulus, you will meet with your four at the same time."

Regulus waited until everyone had left the empty classroom before confronting Severus. "Why do you only get three and I get four?"

"Be relieved that I gave you those four...they are the most intelligent of those who didn't understand. You should be done within an hour at the most; I will probably still be working on this come dawn." Severus stalked out of the classroom, leaving a laughing Regulus behind.


	54. Chapter 53

_**A/N: Once again, I find myself apologizing for the incredibly long wait for this chapter. Illness had, for several months, found a home at my house. Both my son and I were ill off and on for several months, the damage from Hurricane Sandy, the holidays...everything seemed to conspire against me and it took me this long to get this chapter written. As you will notice, this story is indeed drawing to a close. I am now trying to tie off all of the loose ends, but there will be two, possibly three, more chapters and then this story will be completed. Thank you for bearing with me...and virtual cookies for all of you who haven't given up on this story...Thank You!**_

_**~O~**_

Once both Severus and Regulus had been assured that their students completely understood the process of producing and projecting pure magic through their wands, they collapsed into their beds. Severus knew that Lucius wouldn't be joining him this evening, so he immediately fell asleep; Regulus, however, stayed awake for a bit, explaining to his wife what they would be doing.

"I don't understand how you'll know that you are producing the correct magic. Won't what people are thinking have an impact on the type of magic?" Jean may not understand everything about magic, but she had a fairly decent grasp of how it worked.

"I don't think so, but we're going to have everyone concentrate on the happiest thing they can think of. For instance, my thoughts will probably be on the day I married you and the day that Hermione was born. Severus' thoughts will, most likely, be on the birth of Draco and the impending birth of their daughter. For those that have children, those will probably be the thoughts they concentrate on; for the others, like the children themselves, they will probably be told to concentrate on their friends, their boyfriends or girlfriends, the happiest thing they can think of."

"I won't pretend to really understand what you're going to do, but I'd like to help." Jean shuffled slightly, so that she faced her husband.

Regulus cupped her cheek in his hand and leaned in to kiss his wife. "I think, just by putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder, and maybe mine, you will definitely be helping. You may not have magic, but the emotions you carry for us will bolster our magic and help us concentrate."

Jean kissed her husband and lay back on her pillows. That was all she wanted...to help. She knew she couldn't do what they were doing, but if she could help them with their task, she would be satisfied.

~O~

Voldemort looked around the almost empty ballroom at Riddle Manor; there were only three Death Eaters there at that time and they had all, within the last week, given him some of their magic. He needed another infusion soon and there was no one there who was capable of doing it; he motioned to Thomas Goyle to come to his side. Goyle slowly made his way to his lord's side; he had 'donated' magic twice in one week and the drain on his system was almost too much...he hoped he wasn't going to have to do it again, he wouldn't survive.

"I need to summon someone to donate; who hasn't donated in the last week?"

"I believe that Ted Nott hasn't donated in the last week, but he was so drained the last time that he nearly died; his son, Theo may be able to donate, but, as he's still under-age, it might be difficult to get him out of Hogwarts."

"Summon him."

~O~

Severus looked up at the same time his wand arm raised; the door to his office had been flung open and then, just as quickly, had been closed. Theo Nott was standing just inside of the door, furiously casting spells to silence and lock the room tighter than a Gringotts' vault.

"Mr. Nott, I am assuming that there is a reason for your...actions."

"Sir...I've been summoned to 'donate' magic to the Dark Lord. If I go, he's going to drain me and I won't be able to keep up my Occlumency shields; he's going to see everything!" The boy's panic was flowing off of him in waves; objects around the room began to shake and several empty phials exploded on a side table.

"Calm yourself, Mr. Nott. You will not be going to him." Severus picked up a phial and handed it to the hyperventilating boy. "This is a phial of a strain of the wizarding flu; at this time, there is no antidote for this, so you will have to suffer through the illness. It will make you incapable of 'donating' due to the fact that the Dark Lord would also contract the illness. You will need to summon your father, so that he may tell the Dark Lord about your illness." Severus looked Theo in the eye. "I was hoping that you could be there when we did this, but having him siphon off your magic would, most likely, kill you. You are too young to be giving your magic to anyone; you have not completely matured yet and, to lose that much magic would be deadly."

Severus watched as Theo tipped back the phial and swallowed the putrid green gel inside, almost gagging as he forced the 'fluid' down his throat; he counted to ten and caught the teen as he collapsed to the floor. He picked up the boy and took him to the Infirmary via the school's internal floo system; placing him on a bed, he called out to Poppy and explained the situation when she arrived. Severus stepped over to a table at the back of the ward and wrote a quick letter to Theodore Nott, Sr., explaining that his son had, somehow, caught the wizarding flu and was unable to answer the summons from their 'friend'. Severus knew that this would probably cause Nott, Sr.'s death, but better that a loyal Death Eater die than a child who had never wanted the mark to begin with. Theo was also one of his 'special' students...the students whose home life was horrible, but there was nothing that could be done, because it couldn't be proved. The death of Theodore Nott, Sr. would be a blessing to the teen.

Severus also wrote out another letter, this time to Kingsley Shacklebolt; in it, he asked that Bellatrix Lestrange be transported to Hogwarts as quickly as it could be arranged. Poppy joined him and began summoning Hogwarts house elves to deliver letters and messages to everyone who wanted to be a part of the death of the Dark Lord.

This was going to be done now...they no longer had the gift of time.

~O~

Severus and Regulus had to physically restrain Neville Longbottom when Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived with Bellatrix Lestrange; they were accompanied by four Aurors who all had their wands trained on the witch, even though she was already restrained by magic dampening cuffs and a collar that kept her from moving on her own. They guided her to a bed in the Infirmary and bound her to it; the witch seemed to know what was going to happen and she tried to fight with everything in her, screaming and yelling at the assembled crowd.

Once Neville had been calmed, Severus motioned to everyone to gather around the bed. "Alright, we no longer have time to waste. An hour ago I sent an owl to Theodore Nott's father, explaining why his son could not donate magic to the Dark Lord. By my calculations, they should be receiving it fairly shortly; we should know because Bellatrix's mark should begin to cause her pain and possibly become inflamed. I had Bill Weasley remove Theo's mark because I couldn't take the chance that The Dark Lord would try to retaliate by killing him through the mark...yes, Mr. Weasley?"

Ron had gone pale and gulped audibly before asking his question. "Can he...can he really kill a Death Eater through the Mark?"

"Yes, he can. It was one of the safeguards he built into the mark, so that if someone turned traitor, and he found out about it, he could kill them without ever touching them."

Everyone's attention was drawn to the floo as it flared green and three people stepped out. The room exploded with noise as they realised that the people were Lucius, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy; Severus was thankful that they had warded the room against all possible intruders and from noise escaping...this would have surely gained the attention of anyone on this floor and the ones above and below it. The noise quieted to a complete silence as Lucius explained what had happened and why they had faked their deaths. Bill looked over at Harry and raised one eyebrow; it seemed he had been correct after all.

Neville, who had never taken his eyes off of the witch on the bed, was the first to notice that her mark was beginning to become red and swollen. "Everyone! Look!"

Severus and Minerva gathered everyone closer to the bed and began to prepare them for what needed to be done. "Alright everyone, on the count of three...think of the happiest, most loving thing you can. Keep thinking that thought and push your magic through your wand. Try to aim as close to her mark as you can get. One...two...three!"

Bellatrix Lestrange began to scream as the jets of pure magic hit her dark mark and began to force their way through the connection that the Dark Lord had never thought to sever. Severus only wished that there was some way of knowing that their plan was working and, when it was over, that they had been successful.

No one noticed that one person was not accounted for.

~O~

The hallways were dead silent as the dark figure crept quietly through them; there was something going on in the throne room and he wanted to make sure that it was what he thought it was. He had known, when he received the summons from Minerva, that it was time to eradicate Voldemort, but as he really couldn't contribute anything to the magic, he thought that it was best to come here and watch it happen from this end. No one had noticed that his magic had been slowly dwindling over the last few months; no one really spent that much time around him anymore...not since he had left the school for the last time just over two weeks ago.

He had noticed that his magic was leaving him shortly after he had left Hogwarts a year ago and drew the conclusion that the years he had spent being befuddled by the potion had also worked to start draining his magic from his core. He knew that when his magic completely left him, then he would also leave this world behind; it was a just payment for all of the years of torture that he had condemned a small boy to and the years that he, himself, had basically tortured him...albeit in a different manner.

Albus Dumbledore had discovered the whereabouts of Voldemort's lair when he had searched for the horcruxes for Minerva; he had known where they were and had found them with no problems...the discovery of this place had been an added plus. When he had arrived, he had noticed that the wards were no longer in place and he was able to enter the decrepit mansion easily...unlike the last time he had been here. He finally reached the throne room and stood silently in the doorway, unnoticed by any of the panicking Death Eaters in the room.

Voldemort way lying on the floor, just in front of the large throne at the opposite end of the room, writhing in agony; he was surrounded by the few of his Death Eaters that were still loyal, but they were in obvious pain as well. Albus watched for long minutes as the most hated man in the Wizarding World screamed in pain; he thought it appropriate that he was feeling just a little of the agony that he had subjected people to for years. Finally, the end appeared to be approaching...the Dark Lord began to glow. Suddenly there was a stillness, as if all the air in the room was streaming to the prone man, then there was a thunderous booming sound and all of the air rushed back at Albus; he covered his eyes as a blinding flash of light filled the room.

When he opened his eyes, they opened to the sight of horrible carnage. Voldemort's body had, indeed, exploded; the repercussion from the 'blast' had torn through the bodies of the Death Eaters closest to him, killing them instantly. The other Death Eaters had fallen to the ground and were all screaming and yelling, trying desperately to counteract the draining of their magic from their cores. One by one, they all stopped screaming...only the strongest lasted more than one minute.

When all was silent again, and the Death Eaters had all stopped moving, Albus quickly made his way across the room, sending a patronus to Severus with the last bit of magic he could summon. He verified that Voldemort was definitely dead before he activated the portkey he held; it would take him directly to the Infirmary at Hogwarts. As he felt the hook behind his navel, he realised he was going home to die.


	55. Chapter 54

_****__**A/N: I am so sorry that this has taken this long to get to you! I had truly hoped that it wouldn't take this long to get another chapter to you. I have reasons...lots of reasons...unfortunately, none of them make much sense. I apologise to you, but here is the next chapter.**_

~O~

Harry was the first to notice the wispy silver animal slowly limping across the Infirmary floor; he motioned to Severus with his free hand and the older man signalled to everyone that they could stop. Severus recognised the small mongoose as being Albus Dumbledore's patronus and called for immediate silence.

"Severus," the mongoose whispered, "he is gone...your plan worked. I am...coming...home..."

Just as the last word fell into the silence, the wards around the Infirmary screeched and a pile of purple and blue robes appeared where the mongoose had been. Poppy and Severus immediately ran to the pile of robes and lifted an unconscious Albus Dumbledore to place him on one of the beds farthest away from the now deceased Bellatrix Lestrange; she had been killed, like the Death Eaters present at Voldemort's demise, by the immediate draining of her magic. Poppy began to run scans on him, just as Severus did the same; the two, working in tandem with each other, seemed to automatically know which scan the other was casting and cast a different one. They both stopped casting and looked at each other before looking at the crowd of people gathered around the bed.

Severus thought about what he was going to say before taking a breath. "Albus apparently decided to go to the Dark Lord's headquarters, to verify that our plan had worked. Unfortunately, sending his patronus to me used up the last of his magic...Albus Dumbledore is a squib. And he's dying."

Severus moved to the side as Harry slowly walked up to the side of the bed and stared down at the man who had, for one reason or another, made most of his life at Hogwarts a living hell. He hadn't wanted for the old man to die, but he was going to make sure that Dumbledore was going to go out a hero.

"He risked his life to bring us information about whether or not our plan worked." Harry sighed heavily. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a hero for the Light." He backed away from the bed, straight into Charlie's arms.

Minerva addressed the room at large, not looking at any one person in particular. "Most of the Wizarding World did not know what Albus had done; I would like to keep it that way. Allow him to die a hero, allow him the accolades of the world he worked most of his life to save. Those of us who know what he did will have to keep his secret, _one last secret_, so that no one else knows about it...they wouldn't believe us anyway."

The group nodded as one and slowly drifted away from the dying man; they would keep this secret...it wouldn't do any harm to let the old man be known for the good he had done, instead of the harm he had caused one young man.

~O~

Albus Dumbledore lived for three more days before succumbing to the loss of his magic; Severus and Minerva had just returned to the castle, after seeing to it that Bellatrix's body was honourably buried, in an unmarked grave, in a tiny cemetery just outside of the town of Pitlochry, in the centre of Scotland. They hadn't even had time to sit and relax for a moment before Poppy was summoning them to the infirmary; once they arrived, she escorted them into the room where Albus had been placed.

"He's not going to last much longer...he wanted to see you both before he goes."

Minerva stood on one side of the bed, Severus on the other, and waited as Albus lifted heavy lids to look at them. "I am sorry...sorry for everything that I've done. In my muddled mind, I thought I was doing the right thing. I am truly sorry."

Minerva smoothed a hand over Albus' wrinkled brow and smiled gently at the older man. "Albus, you've given most of your life for 'The Greater Good'...it's time to leave it to someone else now. Don't worry about what you have or have not done right; you will be remembered for how tirelessly you worked for the Light and how the Light finally won."

"You have earned your rest, Albus...don't fight it anymore." Severus picked up one hand, absently noting how paper-like the skin was.

Albus nodded and closed his eyes; Severus heard the door open behind him and wasn't surprised when Harry moved next to Minerva to pick up Albus' other hand, Poppy stood by the door, monitoring the situation. Two minutes later, Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin, First Class, former Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, drew his last breath.

The four bowed their heads and mourned the passing of a once-great man.

~O~

Albus Dumbledore's funeral was held on a cold, bright day in mid-January. In keeping with allowing the Wizarding World to believe that Albus had died a great hero, Minerva had suggested that he be buried within the wards of Hogwarts; neither she nor anyone else wanted to make it easier for thieves and fans alike to desecrate his tomb. He had been Headmaster of the school for forty years before he had left the previous year; they had been years of unprecedented scholastic progress and everyone felt that it honoured his memory to be entombed on the grounds.

Those that knew what had happened during the previous four years all kept their mouths shut on the matter of Albus Dumbledore's greatness. True, the man had been a great rallying point for the forces of the light, but that, in their minds, had been eradicated by what he had done, and tried to do, to one young man. His manipulations would be long remembered by these people and none of them felt that they would be able to forget them any time soon...forgive...yes, forget...possibly never.

Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, looked around after the speeches were done and the tomb sealed. He had been surprised that Minerva McGonagall had declined to give a speech about Albus and his greatness; after all, they had worked together for thirty-eight of the forty or more years that Albus had been Headmaster.

"Ah, Minerva! I was surprised that you declined to speak about Albus today. Weren't you great friends...or something like that?"

"Cornelius. I declined because everyone already knows about my relationship with Albus. I thought it best if those alliances and friendships that weren't better known got a chance to speak about him. I've been at this school for almost forty years...everyone knows how I feel. However, not many knew how you felt about Albus; not many knew of Elphias Doge's friendship with Albus. I thought it better that everyone hear from you, rather than me." Minerva artfully side-stepped the questioning; she wasn't about to stand up, in front of all of Albus' followers, to tell them what she knew of the man...she'd have been run out of the country before she was finished speaking.

Severus noticed the stranglehold that the Minister of Magic had on Minerva's arm and made his way over to rescue her. "Minerva...Minister Fudge..." Severus nodded in the portly man's direction, "I have need of Minerva's assistance in making certain that everything in the Great Hall is set up to Albus' specifications. He left detailed instructions as to how he wanted his reception held, you know. If you will excuse us?" Severus commandeered Minerva's arm and guided her into the castle, bypassing the main doors to the Great Hall and steering her down one of the side passages. When they were almost to the side doors that led to the head table, Severus stopped and looked down at the older witch. "Are you well?"

"I'm as well as I can be, Severus. Thank you for your assistance, by the way; he wasn't going to let me go." She sighed and ran a hand slowly over her face. "I wish this day was over with already...but the best is yet to come. Are Lucius and Narcissa certain that they want it to be known that they aren't dead? It could have many repercussions for both them and young Mr. Malfoy."

"They decided that they would 'come back to life' at this time, since they had already been to Amelia Bones' office to be questioned under Veritaserum about their involvement with the Dark Lord. They have been fully cleared and have papers declaring their innocence; they want to make a clean start and thought that today would be the best time...they don't want to hide anymore."

Minerva nodded; she could understand their reasoning. The sooner they came out with their story, the easier it would be to get back to normal life. She looked around, noticing the suddenly louder sounds of conversation coming from the Great Hall.

"Shall we go and get this over with?" At Severus' nod, they linked arms and entered the Great Hall.

~O~

Harry sat with Charlie at the end of the Gryffindor table closest to the head table; they were surrounded by the rest of the Weasleys, Sirius and a slightly skittish Draco. Draco had decided that he would come to the reception and was making an effort not to jump at the loud noises; it was unconsciously convincing everyone of the truth of the rumours of his mental instability. He wasn't faking the skittishness; having been away from the student body for so long, he wasn't used to so much noise and so many people. He knew his parents were going to be announcing that they weren't really dead today, but he wasn't quite sure that he was going to be able to make it until that time.

He felt a smaller, soft hand make its way into his and he looked to his right; Ginny Weasley smiled at him and leaned slightly into his side. "You alright?"

Draco took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Not really. It's been so long since I've been around this many people that I'm not sure I'm going to last until Mother and Father get here."

Ginny nodded. "I understand...I think they will, too, if you can't."

"I know, but I want to...I want to be here when they let everyone know that they're not really dead. I don't know if they're going to say anything about Severus being my other father, but Father's going to be obviously pregnant when they see him...everyone's going to wonder."

"Let them wonder...it's really none of their business." Ginny squeezed his hand but didn't remove it from his grasp. They held hands the rest of the time in the Great Hall; they held hands even when Molly noticed it and told Arthur. They held hands when the doors to the Great Hall opened to admit Amelia Bones along with Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy; they held hands and Ginny turned Draco's head to face her when she felt him shake because of the noise. They held hands as Draco's parents explained what had happened and why they'd had to fake their deaths; they held hands while they were being hugged by Harry and Charlie on one side and Ron and Hermione on the other.

They held hands as they went for a quiet walk after the reception...with Severus and Molly as chaperones...and they never once during that time got embarrassed about it or tried to let go. Ginny had become Draco's 'solid object' and he wasn't about to let her go.

_**~O~**_

_**A/N 2: A solid object, in the Mental Health field, is a person who helps another remain tethered to reality. A person who helps another remain grounded and helps them to not become manic, depressed or whatever other feelings a situation can produce. Ginny is helping ground Draco, helping him to not become frightened by all of the noise and the people...she's his strength at that moment.**_


End file.
